Customer Reviews

Contrapuntal

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Contrapuntal is the work of a sophisticated, mature poet. Carol Hamilton, Poet Laureate of Oklahoma, 1995-1997, brings her years of lyrical experience and her keen eye for cultural history to the story of Clara Schumann and Johannes Brahms. Even those with only a casual awareness of the interlocking history of these famous nineteenth-century musicians will be able to follow their story as Hamilton carefully outlines it.

It is one thing to give a broad history in verse form, but it is quite another to offer a lyrical response while also penetrating key nuances of the story. This ability is clearly evident in Hamilton's handling of her subject. By composing the story of the Schumanns and Johannes Brahms, the poet transforms their experience, creating a dialogue with readers that transcends the parameters of time and the simple, crass facts that have shaken down through history. Hamilton's poetic interpretation engenders understanding and empathy, keeping their heartbreak alive for us to contemplate so many years later, not merely as nasty voyeurs but as sympathetic, fellow travelers. We can admire their musical genius while fearing that all-too-human component that humbles even as it inspires.

These finely crafted, precisely articulated poems on the life of Clara Schumann brilliantly explore themes of frustrated desire, the quest for happiness, and the music of a life lived in negotiation between the demands of others and the demands of one's own heart. At times the world of the Schumanns and Brahms comes clearly into focus, providing color and context, at other times the context retreats to reveal a focused attention on the personal that gives these poems a universal appeal despite the narrow focus. Carol Hamilton, in Contrapuntal, does what far too few contemporary poets are willing to do: take on a sustained meditation on one topic. The artistic risk pays off in a book of poetry that is engaging and affecting throughout.