Customer Reviews

Stake: Poems, 1972-1992

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Lovers of poetry, give your ear to Alfred Corn! Collected here is the cream of his poetry, and whether you favor the silkiness of Corn's language or the way he almost stalks his subject matter through the stanzas, you'll be impressed by the kernals of wisdom contained in each piece. If you get to hear Alfred (known as "Pop" to his friends) read his own poetry, you won't be disappointed. His husky voice lends an aura of authenticity to the work, and he's usually happy to field questions after the reading.

A great poet, in my opinion, offers what anyone might recognize as beauty and truth. In Mr. Corn's poems, I have found prized gemstones for everyday use. What I enjoy most about his work is that he presents his stories and still lifes with equal skill, achieving that rare balance between a keen eye and a trained ear. Many of his poems are like those small and perfect clementines which, when you take them apart, delight you with each equally perfect segment - any one of his lines can stand on its own feet. Yet, Mr. Corn moves beyond his aesthetic achievements to reveal motifs in the places he has lived in and visited / people he has lived with and visited. His is such a reliable and refreshing sensibility that I am always hopeful he will shine it on new subjects, larger or smaller, and over the years, I have been grateful for his range. There is virtue in Corn's circumspect and gentle approach to his subjects, but never sanctimony or cant. If you want archness, bitterness, idiosyncrasy or obsession, best to leave Corn's collection on the shelf. But if you want wisdom acquired through patient practice, begin on page 1. You will find what good readers expect of poetry but seldom receive in such rich shares.