On first looking into Rose's Bundle
 

I took delivery of two slim volumes this a.m.

1) James Wright - The Branch Will Not Break
2) Rose Kelleher - Bundle o' Tinder

Many times I'm seduced into buying poetry books on the promise of one poem I like, only to be disappointed by the whole. In neither of the above cases is that true.

In Rose's case the promise of "Neanderthal Bone Flute" is well lived up to, even on a quick scan.

So, given that it's raining in a Biblical way here, and that indoor play is called for, I'm off for a coffee and a snuggle up with Rose (first, maybe James later).

Thanks Rose

Philip

You might have gone with the collected Wright, but we'll have to await the collected Rose.

Rose's book is chock full of goodies, but my favorite is "Flipside."

I'd go for "Neanderthal Bone Flute" or "Ditty" - but, as Roger says, there are lots of goodies here.

And what a lot of poetic Wrights there are. I can count three straight off. For a fine poem by Kit Wright, see the Ekphrasis thread.

Almost as many as the poetic Harrisons (two of whom are also published by Waywiser).

Pushed, I could name every poem in Rose's collection. But "Poor Dolores" and "War of the Worlds" are my (and my wife, Anita's - she is an English teacher, currently teaching Beowulf, for her sins) favourites.

As for James Wright...I feel as if I could draw a straight line between him, Merwin and Rose. Merwin and Wright, of course, had very similar beginnings...Princeton, Young Poets Award etc etc. Not sure where Rose's wellspring is?

P

And don't forget Dore. [can't figure out an accent aigu]

Frank

Roger

Yup - financially (bangs per buck) you are right. However it's always nice to see the poems together, and in order, as the poet intended.

I bought Merwin's "Migration" as a good overview of his oeuvre, and I still have it, but I've now bought most of the individual volumes too. The former doesn't bust my hand luggage weight limit when I go on holiday! Otherwise I like to pick up, eg "The Rain In The Trees" as a separate volume.

Philip

Philip,
Merwin comes from a much more privileged background than Wright, and Wright went to Kenyon College not Princeton. All those down and out in the Midwest poems by Wright wouldn’t have been possible by Merwin. Wright really did know down and out.
Andrew

I stand corrected Andrew. I got that Princeton thing second hand (poor research). There is a definite affinty in the poetry though.

Back to Rose - my current top of the shop favourite is Love Sonnet. Brilliant wordplay that just seems to make total sense (although it doesn't) and sounds perfect. That's a hard trick to pull off.

P

Rose's collection is full of goodies. I use "Hybrid" in my teaching. It's a great take on exploitation. Humorous but serious.

Duncan