In 1967, Sandra McPherson's daughter Phoebe was born with Asperger's Syndrome, a form of autism. In The Spaces Between Birds, McPherson collects poems from six of her published books as well as new poems, uncollected poems, and poems written under a pseudonym, that draw on her experiences as a mother to Phoebe. Representing 28 years of work, these poems describe the voyage-both wrenching and exhilarating-on which mother and daughter embarked. Interspersed are poems by Phoebe, offering an illuminating and often searing counterpoint to those of her mother. The poems poignantly evoke the world created by autism, providing a rare sense of an inner life that has long been unapprehendable, and detailing the intimacy and ultimate alienness of relations even between mother and daughter, and even between word and meaning.
--This text refers to the
Paperback
edition.
FREE Two-Day Shipping for Students. Learn more |
| ||||||||||||||||||
Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
In her 16th and 17th published poetry collections, McPherson calls for a more expansive poetry aesthetic, persuasively demonstrated in her own generous, affecting and highly accomplished work. What these two volumes have in common is an exploration of the ways in which non-normative modes of cognition and sensory experience can be poetic. Edge Effect finds model and inspiration in the creativity of mentally ill, marginalized and self-taught artists, such as the quilter of "Affirmation Against Critics" who "authored the a-universal/ from actual shreds of her life." Achieving musicality with packed, resonant language, Edge Effect also showcases McPherson's mastery of precisely observed nature poetry. Deepening her vision with difficult experience, The Spaces Between Birds is a tender and profound chronicle of raising an autistic child. In "Some Schizophrenics," the poet writes of "watching/ black motion playing/ where the whole bird should be." Interspersing her autistic grown daughter's words, McPherson inscribes their imagistic construction as poetry. With an elegant directness reminiscent of Anne Sexton's, Spaces is a flock of hard truths, joyfully told. McPherson is a distinctive stylist and a compassionate voice whose work continues to enrich and reward readers.
Copyright 1996 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
Review
"With an elegant directness reminiscent of Anne Sexton's, Spaces is a flock of hard truths, joyfully told . . . McPherson is a distinctive stylist and a compassionate voice whose work continues to enrich and reward readers."--Publishers Weekly
--This text refers to the
Paperback
edition.
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Author
Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.
Customer Reviews
|
There are no customer reviews yet.
|
|||
|
Video reviews
|
Inside This Book
(learn more)
Citations (learn more)
4
books
cite this book:
- A Ghost at Heart's Edge: Stories and Poems of Adoption by Susan Ito in Back Matter
- From Daughters to Mothers, I've Always Meant to Tell You : An Anthology of Letters by Constance Warloe on page 304
- The Language of Life by Bill Moyers in Back Matter
- From Totems to Hip-Hop: A Multicultural Anthology of Poetry Across the Americas 1900-2002 by Ishmael Reed in Back Matter
Tag this product(What's this?)Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organize and find favorite items. |
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
