Upon Arrival

by Paula Cisewski

The first full-length collection from Cisewski showcases the best work from this Minneapolis-based poet who has graced the pages of literary journals across the country for the past decade. These poems, full of charm and wit, demonstrate an airy playfulness even as they confront isolation and loss. We were lucky enough to lure her from the bright lights of more prominent poetry contests and prizes, and it is with great enthusiasm that we present her work to you.

Genres: Poetry

76 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2006

About the author

Paula Cisewski's sixth collection of poems, The Becoming Game, was published by Hanging Loose Press in June 2025. She is also the author of Ceremonies for No Repair (Beauty School Editions, LLC), Quitter​, winner of Diode Editions' Book Prize, The Threatened Everything, Ghost Fargo (selected by Franz Wright for the Nightboat Poetry Prize), Upon Arrival, and several chapbooks, including the lyric prose Misplaced Sinister. She has been awarded fellowships from organizations including the Banfill-Locke Center for the Arts, the Jerome Foundation, The Oberholtzer Foundation, and the Minnesota State Arts Board. Her poems and hybrid works appear regularly in literary magazines such as Columba, 32 Poems, Plume, Posit, Brevity; Vinyl; Eleven Eleven; diode; Ping Pong; Matter Monthly; Forklift, OH; A Handsome Journal; Resistance Journal; Blackbird; The BOMBlog; REVOLUTIONesque; Everyday Genius; and failbetter.com. She teaches, both academically and privately, and makes printed matter, collage, and assemblage.


Here's Grace Cavalieri's review of Quitter in The Washington Independent Review of Books:
[http://www.washingtonindependentrevie...]

Here's Jordan Davis's review of Ghost Fargo in the Constant Critic:
[http://www.constantcritic.com/jordan_...]

Here's a first book interview about Upon Arrival with Kate Greenstreet: [http://www.kickingwind.com/022407.html]

Reviews

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have this book on account of I wrote it.

[Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven't read beautiful, soft poems like this in a long time:

"She pictures the pages of the daily paper lining the ocean floor, the headlines bleeding away while the pulse of any song she might desire floats somewhere close enough to listen for, keeping perfect time."

Humor gently peppers the poems while Cisewski considers love and time, using birds and music to drive the language.

"Yes, It's true. I kiss everyone. Except
certain men and women whose faces
sour at luncheon plates which
fail to meet their expectations."

I'm keeping this book by my bed.

[William Stobb · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just think Julia Roberts would like this book. If I thought I could send a book to Julia Roberts and that she would actually receive it, open it, read any of it, I would buy a copy of this book with my own money and send it to her. The poems in this book are funny, beautiful, sad. Plainspoken but still elegant.

[Jena Lacomis]

Seeing as how I know Paula and her pretty words from many years past, I know this book is going to be fantastic.

I'll tell you how fantastic as soon as I finish.

;)

[Rauan · Rating 5 out of 5]

tender. quirky. and beautifully schizophrenic. loved it.

[Rachel]

I want to read this book for the soul purpose of getting in-touch with the Real Thing and not just about the femme thingy ...

[Kamran parsinejad · Rating 4 out of 5]

i see beauty of life in this book . i like it

[Joe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Diverting. See slightly more expanded review @

http://phoebejournal.com/

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious and smart poems. She's wonderful to hear live too, if you get the chance.