I don’t usually read collections of poetry, but since I’m going to be encouraging my students to read poetry, I figured I should get into the practice as well. Plus it will give me some recommendations to give them. And it doesn’t hurt to have a variety of books to review for Cannonball Read either. So far this year I’ve only read few of Wadsworth’s poems including my favorite, Evangeline and now Charles Wright’s latest poetry collection, entitled Caribou.
If I’m being honest I didn’t pick the book because it was poetry, it was mostly for the title. There’s something attractive about the word “caribou” and I think the animals are awesome. So as I browsed my library’s “New Titles” section I saw Caribou and I pulled the book off the shelf. Once I saw that it was poetry, I decided to keep it and see how it would go. Having never read anything by Wright before, I thought it would be a good idea to expand my poetical palette. This collection turned out to be Wright’s way of processing the end-of-life blues and pondering what life means and where we head after life is over.
It doesn’t get too dark. In stead it ventures into the morose and blues-y realms. Some of the poems were just so depressing I couldn’t really relate but there were several that I connected with in their questioning the value and purpose of life. One in particular, “Ducks”, resonated with me. I love the lines, “Acceptance of what supports you, acceptance of what’s/ Above your body,/ invisible carry and chop,…”. I’ve never thought about whether ducks accept that they are just going to float or whether they will drown or not. It shows a strong faith on their part and an unwillingness to always question their surroundings.
Not that I’m going to phase into a more animalistic period, but I do think that maybe I question too much around me instead of just living my life. Plus, as a Christian, I think that I should be reminded that faith is what sustains me from day-to-day and like the ducks relationship with water, I need to have faith that God will help me “float” no matter what.
All in all I enjoyed Wright’s collection. He played with the arrangement of the lines and broke up any rhyme or rhythm very similar to Emily Dickinson. As my favorite poet anyone who can pull off Dickinsonian arrangements is ok in my book. If you interested in a short collection of poetry that may challenge you to consider the meaning of life and what’s the phase after death, than I highly recommend Caribou.
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