Prodigal: Variations

by Ed Madden

The poems in Ed Madden's second book, Variations , explore relations between men-fathers, sons, brothers, lovers-as well as questions of home and exile, memory and loss, and the promises and compromises of any return. In poems that are at once both mythic and deeply personal, Madden asks how we define home, what rituals and relationships sustain us in a world shaped by loss. Consistently reimagining and reinterpreting the biblical stories of his youth, the speaker tries to imagine a new identity and new relationships. If the lover offers a different sustaining relationship, the consolations and beauty of the natural world remain a constant in these poems, an ambiguous Eden in which the story may be different, but the human needs remain the same. This book of exile and longing imagines not a return to the old home, but arrival at a true home. It's less a coming of age collection, more a blossoming, a negotiation of a dangerous new world in which we have to reconcile with-without relenting to-the past.

Genres: Poetry

86 pages, Paperback

First published March 28, 2011

About the author

An associate professor of English at USC, Ed Madden is the author of three books of poetry, most recently Nest (Salmon 2014). His work also appears in Best New Poets 2007 and elsewhere. He is also the editor of Out Loud: The Best of Rainbow Radio. In January 2015, he was named the Poet Laureate of the City of Columbia, South Carolina.

Reviews

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

In my opinion, Ed Madden is one of our best contemporary poets. This powerful, poignant collection deals with men and their relationships to each other, particularly fathers and sons. Rich with Southern history and tradition, including Biblical references, Madden does not shy away from the harshness of reality and his poems find beauty amidst ugliness. Highly recommended.

[Terri · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books of poetry that I've read this year, this collection is beautiful and profound. Madden's work is honest and visceral. He is one of the best Southern poets currently writing, and I highly recommend his work.

[Libby · Rating 5 out of 5]

This volume includes poems regarding: flowers and other botanicals; a difficult father-son relationship; religion; and gay relationships, all well written. Read as a whole it tells of a live of love and sadness, striving for understanding.