Selected by Alice Fulton as the Winner of the 1996 Kathryn A. Morton Prize in Poetry.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com Review
A steadfast characteristic of Baron Wormser's poetry is his absolute honesty. In When, winner of the 1996 Kathryn A. Morton Prize in Poetry, he puts aside any expectations of poetic prettiness to take a clear, linguistically fresh look at issues such as AIDS, Vietnam, the ethics of fast-food consumption, and the seduction of Vegas. One of the sharpest poems, "Farmers Go Crazy Slowly," subtly reveals the societal elements behind the insanity of trying to run a farm in this century. Wormser's love of the world is evident, despite the searing light that he shines upon it.
--This text refers to the
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Review
"One of the truisms about literature, usually summoned in response to fiction, is that it is a place to meet people you would never meet (and indeed might not want to meet) in what is called 'real life.' While not primarily narrative, When provides one of the major satisfactions of fiction, that sense of having had a vacation from one's own life by dropping in on others. . . . Wormser's ability to project himself into all sorts of circumstances is great, as is his ability to articulate the complex messages he brings back alive." -- The Boston Book Review
"The title When derives from Wormser's obsession with history. . . . This historical sense permeates his poems; it is critical to his approach to poetry. He is, in a manner of speaking, a time traveler. . . . Wormser makes references to people, objects, and events that define the time: the death of Charlie Parker, Sartre's existentialism, a Nash Rambler, the music of Eric Dolphy, John Coltrane, and Charles Mingus. These specifics provide the foundation for what happens in the poem, for commentary and narrative. . . . In 'Poems,' Wormser writes, 'Poetry is the logic beyond reason. That's what keeps you reading/all these twitchy nights.' That's what keeps us up reading Wormser's work well beyond nightfall." -- Maine Times
"When is a mix of autobiography and good old storytelling that never forgets a basic writerly tenet: locality is the only universality. Whether the subject is Beethoven's maid hearing strange sounds, a deli waiter bemoaning his work or Wormser as a boy walking through Pikesville, Md., and imagining it's Baudelaire's Paris, the action in each poem is unique in its specific details. The insights the characters achieve, however, and the emotions they feel are universal. . . . Graced with humor, lust, and bracing narrative momentum, Wormser's poetry presents a menagerie of wonderfully familiar strangers." -- [
"The title When derives from Wormser's obsession with history. . . . This historical sense permeates his poems; it is critical to his approach to poetry. He is, in a manner of speaking, a time traveler. . . . Wormser makes references to people, objects, and events that define the time: the death of Charlie Parker, Sartre's existentialism, a Nash Rambler, the music of Eric Dolphy, John Coltrane, and Charles Mingus. These specifics provide the foundation for what happens in the poem, for commentary and narrative. . . . In 'Poems,' Wormser writes, 'Poetry is the logic beyond reason. That's what keeps you reading/all these twitchy nights.' That's what keeps us up reading Wormser's work well beyond nightfall." -- Maine Times
"When is a mix of autobiography and good old storytelling that never forgets a basic writerly tenet: locality is the only universality. Whether the subject is Beethoven's maid hearing strange sounds, a deli waiter bemoaning his work or Wormser as a boy walking through Pikesville, Md., and imagining it's Baudelaire's Paris, the action in each poem is unique in its specific details. The insights the characters achieve, however, and the emotions they feel are universal. . . . Graced with humor, lust, and bracing narrative momentum, Wormser's poetry presents a menagerie of wonderfully familiar strangers." -- [
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5.0 out of 5 stars
A Necessary Poet,
By A Customer
This review is from: When: Poems (Paperback)
Wormser's When is an absolutely stunning and wondrous collection. In these poems you will meet unforgettable characters, and experience heart-breaking episodes of life in this late 20th Century. As deeply crafted as they are felt, the poems in When reward rereading without requiring it for understanding. If you teach, use these poems--students respond to them, and they are solid, graceful and worthy models. If you just love poetry, don't waste another day deprived of the excellent company of Baron Wormser's When!
5.0 out of 5 stars
Life can be as simple as a boiled egg.,
By A Customer
This review is from: When: Poems (Paperback)
I love this book. I have heard Baron Wormser read twice, which makes it all the better (he's a great guy) and the book is worth it for the last poem alone, A Quiet Life, which is affectionately known as "the egg poem". Everyone needs to read that poem. The rest of his poems are honest and well written, not cloying or in excess. And as for the egg poem, there seems to be some sort of deep, meaningful philosophy portrayed in a few wonderful lines.
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