Rae Armantrout , Up to Speed (Wesleyan University Press 2004)
As I was reading this book on the way to the Fish Markets this morning (Christmas Eve), a friend called from where she was supervising her dog in the Harbour: ‘What are you reading?’
‘Mostly incomprehensible poetry,’ I called back. ‘But she’s just described time as
a ghostly appendage
of uncertain length.' [from 'In Time']
‘Hm,’ said my friend, ‘that’s pretty nice,’ and we returned to our dogs.
There’s not a lot more I want to say, except that there are many lovely moments in these 80 pages, and a lot of stuff that I don’t get (but I don’t necessarily need to). Possibly my favourite lines, from ‘Another Sense’:
I don't mind
learning
I'm in hell
if
I can learn it
again and again.
Me fail? I fly! 