Customer Reviews

Wind in a Box (Poets, Penguin)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

For the Blue Sequence, for the Borges, for the funk and the experimentation, for the hearbreaking narrative right beside the elliptical maneuvaring, for negotiating all styles to make a new style(s), for the appreciation of aesthetics that cross without crossing out any, this is my vote for best book of poems in 2006, and beyond.

The above title is a quote from one of the six poems in the collection which share with collection's title. Haye's poetry is angry and blue. It's wild and yet contemplative, structured and yet abstract. Which means nothing in terms of a review, but he is possibly the strongest voice in American poetry today. His words are powerful and relentless. He is the future of American poetry and he's already arrived.

Hayes has something that I really like, something that's rare in modern poets: he has the ability to be both intelligent and playful at the same time. He combines a number of different modern poetry styles to create poems that are confusing, thrilling, interesting, sad, childish, and heartfelt all in the best of possible ways. I never found myself reading a poem I didn't like.

Hayes is a man of power. His poetry doesn't act upon flowery language or the use of a thesaurus. The power lies in the emotional restraint and outlet. My personal favorite poems are the ones focusing on the music of the past. He pegs David Bowie down pretty well.
Many of the poems are racially charged, further enhancing the emotional impact of this book.

This poetry was modern, unique, insightful, absolutely brilliant. T.Hayes is spicy! I cannot say what was better - reading the poetry or simply looking at it!