Shells

Yale Series of Younger Poets

by Craig Arnold

A collection of poems that celebrate food and sex, describe the dangers inherent in them both and the ways in which food can serve to hide and reveal feelings about relationships, and discuss the shells that people build around themselves, hoping for protection but finding only a place to hide

Genres: Poetry

79 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

Craig Arnold was a professor at the University of Wyoming. He cited Ani DiFranco as a muse and claimed he was more interested in art made in moments of happiness than art made to be beautiful. On April 26, 2009 Craig Arnold went missing on the island of Kuchino-erabu. He was in Japan to work on a lyric book about volcanoes. May 8, 2009 a search and rescue team concluded he suffered a leg injury and fell to his death on a steep cliff. According to his partner of six years, Rebecca Lindenberg, "he did not wait or wonder or suffer."

His first collection, Shells won the Yale Younger Poets selection. His follow-up, Made Flesh was critically acclaimed.

Reviews

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, in my humble (and unbiased, of course) opinion, Craig is one of the great poets of his/our generation, and likely beyond. He is a master craftsman, but more importantly these poems, while restrained by form, are deeply felt, are storytelling in the grand tradition. Craig never shies away from the major subjects of poetry - love, loss, the quest to understand the self in relation to others and to the world, the reason we feel compelled to utter anything, ever. This is not spangled fad poetry, this is the genuine article - virtuoso verse written from a place of genuine longing to be understood.

In the forthcoming second book, which I hope to be able to include here very soon, Craig departs somewhat from both the formal constraints and the elements of dramaturgy present in this book - Made Flesh is a series of poems about, well, about many things, but first and foremost about the materiality of language and about the things that can only be made material through language. It is a book about talking, and not talking; about listening, and failing to listen, about the way that words bind us, and the potential of language to free us. It is rapturous and tragic and beauteous and sometimes even operatic - all the poems, most of them quite long, have been published. Sections of two of the poems appear in Best American Poetry anthologies (edited by Lyn Hejinian and Billy Collins, respectively). Others can be found in various wonderful journals, including several in Poetry, Yale Review, Barrow Street, and elsewhere.

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

The last of the poetry books I picked up on a whim from the library/my local used bookstore. I gave it three stars because there are a few poems in it that I really enjoyed, a few I liked pretty well, and the rest either felt "meh" or "um.... the fuck." I suppose that's what edgy modern poetry is supposed to be. Had quite a bit of that lately, think I'll dive into some Longfellow or Donne or Lewis next, at risk of the rhyming cadence getting stuck in my head.

I did learn a couple new things from this book, though; will experiment with them in my poetry. Maybe they'll work out.

Support your local library on this one. If you like it enough, then buy it.

[Mirror · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's sweet, but it's wholly superficial (pun intended), unlike I'd hoped. Still might check out his later collection.

[Mustafa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shells, by Teddy Wayne is about, how a boy named Michael and his Aunt Esther bond together by a hermit crab. I think the theme of the book Shells is, having relationships is important. Like the relationship between Michael to Aunt Esther, Aunt Esther to Michael, and the hermit to Michael and Aunt Esther.
First, Michael to Aunt Esther’s relationship together. Michael’s parents just died and it’s very hard for him to take in. When he gets home he hopes and waits thinking his parents will come back. This shows that it is hard for Michael to live with someone else. Whenever she talked to Michael, Michael always said the wrong thing and Aunt Esther always took it offensively. Then she changes the topic. Michael is just sad that his parent died, and his Aunt Esther always brings him down. The relation between Michael to Aunt Esther is bad, because they don’t talk to each other and they started off with a bad relationship.
Second, Aunt Esther to Michael relationship together. Aunt Esther doesn’t like Michael. She thinks Michael always brings her down. Also, when he comes back from school he hears Aunt Esther back biting about, what a pain Michael is to her. The only reason Aunt Esther took Michael was, because Michael’s mom was Aunt Esther only sister and she loved her. It is hard for Aunt Esther to change, because she loved to live by herself and now she lives with Michael. The relationship between Aunt Esther and Michael was hard, because she is a lonely person and her sister just died.
Lastly, the hermit to Michael and Aunt Esther relationship together. The hermit to Michael was a one way relationship. Michael loved the hermit, but the hermit was shy and never came out of his shell. Every time it looked out, it went right back in. The only time it came out was when it was night and Michael was asleep. The relationship between the hermit and Aunt Esther was a one way relationship as well, but I actually think that Aunt Esther made the hermit happy. When Aunt Esther was in Michael’s room and said the hermit needs a girlfriend. She rushed to the pet store and bought about 24 hermit crabs. With all the other hermits, the hermit crab Michael got came out of its shell and started mingling. Thanks to the hermit crab, the relationship between Michael and Aunt Esther grew bigger. They became more like friends and treated one another just like family. Also, the hermit finally left his shell and developed a relationship with other hermits.
To conclude, that Michael and Aunt Esther’s relationship started out rough. Since Michaels parents died and Aunt Esther’s loneliness is what made the relationship hard. When Michael and Aunt Esther bought the hermit, the relationship slowly began to be positive. With relationship they started to trust each other and love one another. That is why relationships are important.

[Julene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shells was the 1999 Yale Series of Younger Poets selected by W.S. Merwin. Indeed, there is a lot of imagery of shells, mollusks, lobster, with some recipes even. But in the aftermath of his tragic loss hiking, reading his book, what I find interesting is the many references to death. He has two poems specifically dedicated to young men who died: Ian Curtis, 1956-1980, who hanged himself, & Jeff Buckley, 1966-1997, who died in tragic accident drown in the Mississippi. He has poems to friends who died, who are not named, and he has a poem "Ubi sunt..." which is the phase in Latin meaning Where are (those who were before us?) from the poet Francois Villon. Though out his book death is referred to, as if portending his own.

The first sonnet, "Hermit Crab" ends, "That's the riddle of his weird housekeeping/—does he remember how he wears out each welcome/out in its turn, and turns himself out creeping/unbodied through the sand, grinding and rude,and does he feel a kind of gratitude?"

My favorite poem is "The Power Grip," a friend of his who died, talks man talk about sex. He imagines the possible deaths of his friend in a way that uses the power grip, sex talk, to exemplify his personality. I remember reading his other book how much I appreciated his writing on relationships from a male perspective. Here I am delighted with his food poems, how to clean clams and cook them. A friend who didn't know enough when it came to hot spices.

I miss that he won't write more poems, publish more mature books.

[Daniel Klawitter · Rating 4 out of 5]

The poems in this collection are well paced and on the "formalist" end of things, often using rhyme in sophisticated ways, and organized around the idea of shells: the shells of animals, the shells we wear to protect ourselves, etc.

But the subject matter is frequently both surprising and intriguing. I still don't know what the poem "The Extravagance of Zoos" is about, but it is wonderful nonetheless in its imagery and language and rhythm. I also enjoyed Arnold's wickedly funny poem that is an extended meditation on locker room etiquette for boys.

That being said, "Amateur" was probably my favorite piece: a distinctive and remarkable poem about a friend who is obsessed with swords and gets a chance to use one on a burglar.

Arnold was not long with us in this world, but this first book is so assured in voice, subject matter, and style that it deserves all the praise W.S. Merwin gives it in the introduction.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

LIVING WITH IT
by Craig Arnold (1967-2009)

It is nothing that they did
or could have helped, two people
falling in love. Not even
because they shared a toothbrush,
once. It is their germs
getting acquainted.
...............................For weeks
they take turns being sick
--one makes the tea, the other
answers the phone. Slowly,
they can't tell better
from worse.
....................This goes on
until one dies.


Note: The original poem above does NOT include ... spacing; if anyone knows how to properly indent ("indent text" formatting tips at Goodreads no good), please let me know.

[Jacob · Rating 5 out of 5]

If there is such a thing as sexy contemporary poetry, Arnold's collection surely exemplifies it. His wit is powerful yet understated. His poems fascinate and seduce casually and, at times, maybe even flippantly.

I found his internal rhyme and meter to be precise, his subjects (such as food, sex and cruelty) vital, his voice strong and rhythm downright lyrical. A collection for everyone exploring the boundaries of poetry without abandoning all convention. Take it with you to the beach, on the subway or in bed for a good time.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

My signed copy of this book reads, "Dear Ashley: Bad Catholic boys are much more fun than good Mormon boys." And that should tell you a little about Arnold's style. He's a friend of a friend, and such a talent. His Jeff Buckley poem is worth the purchase alone. Be aware, though, some strong/potentially offensive imagery/diction for some of those good Mormon boys.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

The late Craig Arnold unfortunately only had published two slim volumes of poetry before his passing at 41 in 2009. Shells is his debut volume, the 1999 winner of the Yale series of younger poets prize. While not quite as perfect as his 2008 book, Made Flesh, which remains one of my favorite books of poetry, Shells is still quite good and worth checking out.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shells is very conhesive, from start to finish, and although I want more wonderful poems I curb my appetite and appreciate the collection. The organization of the book is precise and expertly achieved. The poems that stood out the most for me were, "For a cook", "Saffron", "Ubi sunt...?", "Why I skip my high school renunions", and "Transparent". I feel lucky to have been exposed to this poet.

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

he's so good, craig

[Jessica Piazza · Rating 5 out of 5]

Craig is Pan, the Goat God.

[Chelsea Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

memories.

i did a review of this book in college, hosted craig at a reading on campus, and maybe we got drunk and made out. i have no idea.

[jennifer]

yes because he's lost (near not in) a volcano

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Skillfully written, dark, but not very interesting to me. I enjoyed the technique but not the content.

[Luis Correa · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of those books that I read and go, "What? You can do that?" Such a beautiful collection.

[Leanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'll be studying this for his use of dialogue in poetry -- full conversations, with line breaks, that carry you from page to page. Clearly a very talented writer, gone much too soon.

[Brean · Rating 5 out of 5]

My cousin- he's amazing.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

the jeff buckley eulogy alone is worth it, not to mention the other greatness it contains...

[E H · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful - Craig Arnold's narrative poems are so good. It's really like a book of short stories.