The Inextinguishable

by Michael Lavers

“Nothing will perish” claims The Inextinguishable, a book that stares wide-eyed at suffering, and yet wants to shout as loudly as it what death? Sunning themselves in Homer’s light, in Shakespeare’s, in the hidden radiance of childhood and middle age, in the luster of what is, of what will always be, these poems mourn when they must, and yet wish nothing more than to become still louder instruments of celebration and

There is rain. There is this day. There is
this day and no other. Praise it with trumpets
and zithers. Praise it however you can.

Genres: Poetry

83 pages, Paperback

Published March 20, 2023

Reviews

[Michael Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Partway through Michael Lavers' important, poignant, and powerful collection, The Inextinguishable, in the poem "From the Museum of Failed Masters," Lavers reveals one of the key significant themes at play in this work--the need to find solace:

"Here you feel no ecstasy, no bright
imperative to weep, or to give thanks,
or to endure. Instead, we offer solace..."

Why the need to "offer solace"? Because The Inextinguishable is a masterful exegesis on the very loveliest of language that mostly describes the themes and contours of grief and death--how we deal with it, how it touches each of us, how "the persistence of grief [is] as a source of delight," how we survive it while in the thick of it, how "to live is to endure such things," and "how can one live but in the record of one's loss."

But Lavers' collection ultimately offers hope, too. As Lavers' narrator tells his Master Shakespeare (in the poem "Last Night's Snow") how he should address death, he attempts to persuade him to create a new character, maybe even a prince, who should give a speech that ultimately buoys up the people:

"Say that we shall not die,
but shall be changed, that man's a wondrous
animal, a thinking dust, a radiant thing."

Upon reading the concluding poem, "Legacy," gravitating on the couplet, "What saves us is our awe, knowing the sum/of all that is beautiful was made for us...," I sit in awe recollecting back at a work in which all of the poems seemed valuable and substantial to me. One thing I love to do while reading a collection of poems is to rate each poem by the number of stars I would rate it--one star to four stars, four stars being the best. It's just something I do. And nearly all of the poems in The Inextinguishable received the highest rating, four stars. It's that rich, vital, and paramount of a collection. I also remember how Lavers' collection left me breathless numerous times in amazement, admiration, and reverence for what Lavers achieved.

It holds such heft, in fact, that I could see a contemporary poetry class at university studying this collection the entire semester long. It's such a masterclass. I think to myself how much I would want to be part of that class discussion, parsing his every thought, his knowledge of classical books, characters and their stories and myths. Coming in at a mere 65 pages long, this book has weightiness and ponderosity. Its themes grab hold of us like the strong undercurrents of the ocean's tides. They carry such a sway.

To my absolute delight, Lavers' collection offers a wealth of references from the classics, modern art, famous books, famous poets and writers, cities and places, and even about history's notorious armies. Specifically, he cites Moby Dick, Beowulf, the Iliad, Oedipus Rex, Orpheus and Eurydice, Middlemarch, Apollo, Adonais, Homer, Shakespeare, Herman Melville, Lorca, Whitman, Keats, a painting by Rousseau, a painting by Vermeer, Venice, the tributaries of Lethe in Hades, and even the army of Visigoths, who in 410, sacked Rome, the first time this had happened in 800 years.

In "The Happiest Days of Our Lives," Lavers writes: "and the world wants nothing/but the endurance of its journey."

The Inextinguishable is an erudite yet highly accessible masterwork and a journey I loved taking, a journey into the heart and soul of Michael Lavers that I will never forget, but return to time and again with pleasure and joy.

[Sam Snyder · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Inextinguishable by Michael Lavers is a solid collection of poems. I am not too fond of poems, so I can say that is a pretty good compliment. One of the strengths for poems for many people is the interpretation of a poem. At least for me, when I read poems I typically have little to no understand what it is talking about. That is partially why I am not fond of poems. But with Michael Lavers writings, it retains the beauty of a wordsmith, without the pretentiousness of a windbag. Though I got through the whole book, there were times where my mind was aloof, having to reread for understanding. The second time reading was a lot more enlightening. There are nuggets of wisdom for everyone in here.

Like most collective works, some poems are better than others, though they are all quite good. I have a particular fondness for several poems, including When the Problem Began. It seemed to speak of depression and beginning to lose the love of life. “Relief from obstacles becomes an obstacle” spoke volumes for me. It is truth beautifully written. Song for a Severed Head was a very interesting look at a decapitated head taking in the world as it goes down a rivers journey. Lavers also seems to have a fascination with older eras such as Greek writers/the era. Several poems speak about people in that culture and the problems/experiences they encounter that help them appreciate life. Ultimately, all of Lavers poems are about the love of life and appreciating it. The last verse of the collections sums up this collections entire purpose for me: “We’ll have discovered how to live”.

[Katie Frazier · Rating 5 out of 5]

Michael Lavers’ The Inextinguishable contains some of the most tender, sensitive poetry I have ever read. His evocative descriptions of the natural world add beauty to his reflections on the nature of time and existence. Each poem in this collection examines these concepts from a different angle, communicating truths not only as individual units but also in their placement in relation to each other. The book opens with Adonais, which soothes the reader with the promise that all things that ever have been continue to be; inviting us to take comfort in existence. Later, Lavers reiterates this idea in his poem Filter Queen. This poem asserts that “nothing will fade” (p. 8), yet the very next poem is entitled End of the Golden Age. This irony is a reward for the careful reader. Lavers makes these kinds of connections throughout the book, communicating how seriously he takes his craft. He displays an equal ability to write from the perspective of ancient Greek gods as from that of a humble stagehand in the time of Shakespeare. In this poem, Boy With Thunderfoils, Lavers’ character discovers the god within himself. This is the true genius of Lavers as a poet: to see the grandeur in Homer and Shakespeare and Venice, as well as in a child at play, a plate of buttered muffins, and the act of peeling potatoes. The Inextinguishable is a must-read for those looking to rediscover the spiritual beauty that infuses every moment of our lives on this planet.

[Marina Wall · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love poetry, and I loved a lot of the poems in this book, however, I felt that a lot just fell a little short sometimes. I want to reread this sometime and see if I enjoy it more on the second read!

My favorite poem from the collection: Sun, Birds, and Leaves

Read for ENGL 218 Creative Writing (Winter Semester 2025)

[Shane Skelcy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5 stars. Great read, poetry that was moving and made me feel all sorts of emotions. Highly recommend.

[Chanel Earl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some of these poems are perfect!

I read a few out loud to my loved ones.

Three made me cry.

Everything was beautiful and nothing hurt.

[Henry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading Michael Laver’s collection The Inextinguishable. The images he created and the thoughts he explored were relatable to me and how I see the world. I definitely see myself coming back to some of these poems in the future.
My favorite by far was Lines Accompanying the Gift of Four New Strings, Sent from the Mountains of Scythia to a Thracian Lyremaker, B. C. 783. For one, the title is magnificent. It tells you exactly what it will be about. But it does not tell you why. I had heard of cat-gut strings before. Back when I received private cello lessons, my teacher said that they sounded the best. I never gave much thought to what cat would be sought out for its melodious gut, but a tiger is probably the most impressive. The idea of two unknown Greeks maintaining correspondence is endearing. The parallels the speaker of the poem makes between the strings and their love is so well crafted and serves to defy the trope that “long distance relationships never last.” It’s so full of hope because of the tension, because of the longing.
Since I am in a bit of Greek Mythology phase at the moment (and honestly, who isn’t), I also would like to touch on Apollo Considers the Humans. I think he is an interesting choice as a POV speaker because the Greeks accredited so much of their knowledge to him (you too Prometheus) so, to hear him wonder at why the gods are still attending to us even in our pitiable mortality begs the question of what has changed? I’ve always seen Apollo as one of the more arrogant of the Olympians (and that is a competition) so in a way it does make sense that he in all his majesty struggles to understand why we mortals do what we do. In all his befuddlement, we can see what he cannot: the innate intricacies of what it means to be human.