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Places/Everyone
Jim Daniels, in his first book of poems, draws upon his experiences in living and working in his native Detroit to present a start, realistic picture of urban, blue-collar life. Daniels, his brothers, his father, and his grandfather have all worked in the auto industry, and that background seeps into nearly all these poems.
The first of the book's three sections sketches out this background, then moves into a neighborhood full of people whose lives are so linked to the ups and downs of the auto industry that they have to struggle to find their own lives; in "Still Lives in Detroit, #2," Daniels writes, "There's a man in this picture. / No one can find him." The second section contains the "Digger" poems, a series on the lives of a Detroit auto worker and his family which tries to capture the effects of the work on life outside the factory. Here, we listen to Digger think, dream, wander on psychological journeys while he moves through his routines, shoveling the snow, mowing the lawn, and so forth. In section three, the poems move into the workplace, whether that be a liquor store, a hamburger joint, or a factory.
These poems, sometimes dark, sometimes humorous, concentrate on the efforts of workers to rise above the often depressing work of blue-collar or minimum-wage jobs, to salvage some pride and dignity. The poems in this book try to give a voice to those who are often shut out of poetry. They are important. These lives are important, and the poems, more than anything, say that.
"These poems are both testimony and the articulate gift of its human emotion: that one lives in a world that can feel, and insists on it. . . .Jim Daniels is a poet of unique commitment and ability. He makes poetry and act of deep caring and recognition."—Robert Creeley
"Daniels' poems have exactly what one looks for in a first book—a strong, sure new voice, determinedly his own—as if he had no choice—heartfelt, speaking as certain poets seem able to, for those who are too often, not mute, but inarticulate. The book reads with the power and coherence of a novel, if novels could be written at the pitch of continuous small explosions of emotion."—Stuart Dybek
"These poems are a refreshment. They hiss and steam with the street's vibrant hardness, the effort to look around the corner, pain in the eyes after a long day's work."
—Carolyn Forché
"This is gritty writing. It needs to be read again and again to let your preconceived notions of America change beneath the abrasion of these poems, that is, if you are inclined to seek the truth: Detroit at work in the car factories, and out of work, and at leisure an play and in self contemplation: grease, dirt, and self disgust, from which we get our handsome dashing cars. What could be more characteristic of American life that this irony. The book says it all.
"—David Ignatow
"Jim Daniels is very good, whether he is shoplifting, scraping up dead carrots, or making love to a machine. There is subtle art in his simple poems. He keeps the technique, and much of the suffering, to himself. It is a joy reading him."—Gerald Stern
"Jim Daniels' tough Motown narratives are stark urban creations. He has an infallible ear for the words that come from our stricken industrial cities."
—Paul Zimmer
(from the Publisher's website)
The first of the book's three sections sketches out this background, then moves into a neighborhood full of people whose lives are so linked to the ups and downs of the auto industry that they have to struggle to find their own lives; in "Still Lives in Detroit, #2," Daniels writes, "There's a man in this picture. / No one can find him." The second section contains the "Digger" poems, a series on the lives of a Detroit auto worker and his family which tries to capture the effects of the work on life outside the factory. Here, we listen to Digger think, dream, wander on psychological journeys while he moves through his routines, shoveling the snow, mowing the lawn, and so forth. In section three, the poems move into the workplace, whether that be a liquor store, a hamburger joint, or a factory.
These poems, sometimes dark, sometimes humorous, concentrate on the efforts of workers to rise above the often depressing work of blue-collar or minimum-wage jobs, to salvage some pride and dignity. The poems in this book try to give a voice to those who are often shut out of poetry. They are important. These lives are important, and the poems, more than anything, say that.
"These poems are both testimony and the articulate gift of its human emotion: that one lives in a world that can feel, and insists on it. . . .Jim Daniels is a poet of unique commitment and ability. He makes poetry and act of deep caring and recognition."—Robert Creeley
"Daniels' poems have exactly what one looks for in a first book—a strong, sure new voice, determinedly his own—as if he had no choice—heartfelt, speaking as certain poets seem able to, for those who are too often, not mute, but inarticulate. The book reads with the power and coherence of a novel, if novels could be written at the pitch of continuous small explosions of emotion."—Stuart Dybek
"These poems are a refreshment. They hiss and steam with the street's vibrant hardness, the effort to look around the corner, pain in the eyes after a long day's work."
—Carolyn Forché
"This is gritty writing. It needs to be read again and again to let your preconceived notions of America change beneath the abrasion of these poems, that is, if you are inclined to seek the truth: Detroit at work in the car factories, and out of work, and at leisure an play and in self contemplation: grease, dirt, and self disgust, from which we get our handsome dashing cars. What could be more characteristic of American life that this irony. The book says it all.
"—David Ignatow
"Jim Daniels is very good, whether he is shoplifting, scraping up dead carrots, or making love to a machine. There is subtle art in his simple poems. He keeps the technique, and much of the suffering, to himself. It is a joy reading him."—Gerald Stern
"Jim Daniels' tough Motown narratives are stark urban creations. He has an infallible ear for the words that come from our stricken industrial cities."
—Paul Zimmer
(from the Publisher's website)
- GenresPoetry
80 pages, Hardcover
First published October 15, 1985
23 people want to read
About the author
Jim Daniels
77 books22 followersJames Raymond Daniels (born 1956 in Detroit, Michigan) is an American poet and writer. Like his father and many of his friends, Daniels worked for the Ford Motor Company before college. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Alma College in 1978 and a master’s degree from Bowling Green State University in 1980. In his writing, he addresses the issues of blue collar work, adolescence, and determining the role of a poet. The factories proved a setting for many of his poems, which describe the hardships factory workers face.
Since 1981, Daniels has been on the faculty of the creative writing program at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he is the Thomas Stockham Baker Professor of English. The majority of Daniels' papers can be found within the Special Collections department of Michigan State University's main library.
Daniels' literary works have been recognized and highlighted at Michigan State University in their Michigan Writers Series. He won the inaugural Brittingham Prize in Poetry in 1985 from the University of Wisconsin–Madison.
Since 1981, Daniels has been on the faculty of the creative writing program at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he is the Thomas Stockham Baker Professor of English. The majority of Daniels' papers can be found within the Special Collections department of Michigan State University's main library.
Daniels' literary works have been recognized and highlighted at Michigan State University in their Michigan Writers Series. He won the inaugural Brittingham Prize in Poetry in 1985 from the University of Wisconsin–Madison.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
April 11, 2012
Not since I found Frank Stanford have I enjoyed poetry this much. The straight forward, honest persona that Daniels has crafted in this book, including Digger, was masterfully done. The book would be an easy read for non-poets, but still offers plenty to study..
January 13, 2018
This has one of my all-time favorite poems in it, "Short-Order Cook."
Here: https://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poem/s...
I have this vivid memory. I'm in high school, and this poem pops up in an anthology. Everyone in my AP English Class was confused and hated this poem, but I loved it.
Also when we discovered I was the only person in the class who'd worked fast food. These two things are related.
I still love this poem, and Jim Daniels definitely is a working man's poet. Nobody writes poems about factory work like he does.
Here: https://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poem/s...
I have this vivid memory. I'm in high school, and this poem pops up in an anthology. Everyone in my AP English Class was confused and hated this poem, but I loved it.
Also when we discovered I was the only person in the class who'd worked fast food. These two things are related.
I still love this poem, and Jim Daniels definitely is a working man's poet. Nobody writes poems about factory work like he does.
February 17, 2016
This is a collection of poetry written from the perspective of a lower/working class man living through the collapse of Detroit.
Jim Daniels is famous for his series of poems concerning an auto worker in Detroit known as "Digger", which this collection is heavy with. There is a heavy feeling throughout the book of oppressive depression caused by station in life. I admit that for me there are some poems in this collection that are difficult to read because of the empathetic response it inspires.
Overall a great collection of poetry which can be fully appreciated by anyone, and an even better introduction to the over-all work of Jim Daniels.
Jim Daniels is famous for his series of poems concerning an auto worker in Detroit known as "Digger", which this collection is heavy with. There is a heavy feeling throughout the book of oppressive depression caused by station in life. I admit that for me there are some poems in this collection that are difficult to read because of the empathetic response it inspires.
Overall a great collection of poetry which can be fully appreciated by anyone, and an even better introduction to the over-all work of Jim Daniels.
September 6, 2007
Loved it!
May 4, 2012
Just lovely!
March 30, 2009
Well put together collection. Very good.
November 9, 2023
My writing professor and advisor lent this to me and I hungrily read it with my spare time in less than twenty-four hours time. He said my poetry reminds him of this and now having read Daniels' work, I am honored and hope to live up to that compliment.
November 14, 2009
Observant collection of poems, many of them reminiscent of the poet's life in Detroit.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews