Ringer
Rebecca Lehmann. Univ. of Pittsburgh, $17 (70p) ISBN 978-0-8229-6595-4
Part eco-poetic, part confessional, the second book from Lehmann (
Between the Crackups) transports the reader to landscapes internal and external with acerbic wit and renegade fury. Notably, Lehmann’s feminist indignation leaves readers with a feeling of wry endearment: “Softness is a chapped nipple./ You wanted broad sad bitches against your head/ like an electrical storm.//... The world is an old grave. Woman sparkle like cheap/ glitter from its bottom.” Lehmann challenges readers to consider the narrative of their lives and embody the natural beauty of the world: “Be the ecstatic middle night. Be the light through yonder window./ Soft, be the lilac branch breaking.” Though her sentiment is consistently poignant, the poet occasionally overexercises metaphors and stylistic choices, resulting in a forced sheen or labored wonder: “Why is the bumblebee yellow and black? Why does the snow recede/ from the back porch like waves of sadness.” Considered overall, Lehmann’s latest book offers readers a sagacious and kinetic whirlwind of unrest and gratitude for the world.
(Sept.)