Customer Reviews

The Way Down (Princeton Series of Contemporary Poets)

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This is perhaps my favorite volume of poetry. John Burt manages, with a spare, almost Spartan lyricism, to portray crystalline images of great beauty and power. He captures a wide range of emotions with subtlety in such poems as "Ballet Academy" and "From the Diary of Willard Gibbs." He treats philosophical themes adeptly and persuasively in such poems as "Andrew Ramsey at the Somme" and "Learning the Table." And he astounds the reader with the drama and surprises of poems such as "The Plague-Maiden," "The Zeppelin Watchers," and "The Homecoming of Bran." All of these have remained sharp in my mind long after a first reading-- and have inspired me to read them again and again. An evening with a John Burt volume is a rare treat. The state of American poetry would be worth cheering even if this volume were its only instance.

John Burt is a talented poet, and I enjoyed reading his collection from "The Way Down." This book is split into two sections. The first section is called "The Triumph of Love," which focuses on feelings. The second section is "Pueblo Fairgrounds," and the focus is on the world, such as war. Burt uses poetry to describe feelings and ask questions. In the poem "Leonce Potellier: II" Burt writes "Who does not love a dying thing loves death." Burt takes the story "The Awakening" and turns it into poetry. Throughout the poem, Leonce is trying to win back the love of his wife, Edna, who has fallen for an uncommitted Frenchman. Burt makes Leonce a hero, who tries to save his wife from drowning in the sea, but to no avail. This poem is quite descriptive in the feelings a man has for his wife and the questions that arise, but in the end, Leonce is unable to save his wife and death separates their love. "The Zeppelin Watchers" is a poem in the second portion of the book, describing the life of soldiers who watch ever so carefully to make sure "the coast is clear." All day they practice shooting, play card games, and wait. Burt is able to take the topic of war and make it relatable to those who have experienced the unease of just waiting, passing the time with cards, and listening to the crickets each night. Burt is able to take a known topic, such as war, or a character from another piece of literature, such as Leonce, and describe each through poetry. This book is full of different characters, from Paolo and Francesca, to St. Francis, and Burt has the skill and the talent of making their world into a poem. "The Way Down" is recommendable to all who enjoy known characters and history in a twist of poetry.