Customer Reviews

James Dickey: The Selected Poems (Wesleyan Poetry Series)

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James Dickey came to my attention through his poem "The Bee" (still a favorite) - only later did I learn he was also the author of _Deliverance_, which surprised me, although in the opposite manner for those more familar with the film than his poetry. That he is able to do both - write narratives and poetry - so well is testament to his literary prowess.

Dickey is a masculine poet. That is to say, many of his poems will undoubtedly appeal more to men than women, and many of his subjects are masculine-oriented. "Drinking From a Helmet" and "The Firebombing" tell of his experiences in World War II (no machismo here - rather the simple, sad reflections on the pointlessness of destruction, but still a clearly masculine voice), "False Youth" gives us a glimpse at Dickey in late-middle age, a little slower, clothes a little tighter. "The Bee", though, remains with me. A few lines to give you a sense of his style:

"Old wingback, come
To life. If your knee action is high
Enough, the fat may fall in time G - D
You, Dickey *dig* this is your last time to cut
And run, but you must give it everything you have
Left, for screaming near your screaming child is the sheer
Murder of California traffic: some bee hangs driving

Your child
Blindly onto the highway. Get there however
Is still possible. ..."

The frantic, heart-racing panic a parent feels for a child is communicated with an immeadiacy and clarity that forces you to relive the moment - it is a powerful poem. Would Dickey appeal to female readers? Certainly - but there is no escaping the gender in his voice.

I realize that for some "poetry" and "masculinity" may appear to be an oxymoron. I disagree. Certainly Dickey will not be to everyone's taste, and some of his poems are a bit heavy on the testosterone and too flavored of the south ("Buckdancer's Choice" is an example of this); to be honest, I don't like *every* poem in the collection. On the balance, though, there are more good poems - honest poems - than bad.