Isabella Gardner (1915–1981)

Some of these poems, such as "Nightmare", are surreal and full of impact, with lines that one can't help but read over and over again. Others are more anchored in nature or experiment, and at least for me, these felt more Pound-ian, a little bit more experimental and less enjoyable on the whole, though I could appreciate them on a more poetic/language level. I suspect that, because of the stylization and the sense informing so many of these poems, they'll probably come across as a bit unwieldy and/or dated to many readers, but I think poets who know a bit of the history/progression of twentieth century poetics will probably find a lot of moments to fall in love with and appreciate.

Not a collection I'd give to readers who aren't long-versed in poetry and already love the form, but a collection I'm glad to have stumbled upon and read.… (altro)