In the archives

by Christopher Arigo

In the archives offers a lyrically rich, emotionally compelling cycle of poems that explores the alienation and longing we feel as we face the increased mechanization and frightening militarization of our present moment. In these formally inventive poems, Arigo demonstrates how each phrase can keep the reader alive to the reading experience as this writer explores and exposes a poetics of intimate as well as expansive vision. As the titles of many of the poem cycles suggest―“Abbreviated Inventories,” “Catalogued evidence,” “Tracking sites,” to name a few― Arigo is interested in discerning how we organize our understanding of the world we live in, and how that understanding impacts our lives. These poems are astute listening devices, catching the moments “when songs and lightning suspend / present tenses.”

Genres: Poetry

120 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2007

Reviews

[Christopher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, it is my book....

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

The poems in this book strike me as having been written by someone who, if you asked him, would probably tell you he's in love with the sound of certain words. And the first section of the book reads like a kind of bizarre and beautiful vocabulary lesson. My favorite part, though, is the second section of the book, called 'Breath Variations'. Each short poem in the section is actually two poems, allowing the reader two different views of essentially the same thing or, alternatively, a choice between two different things. You should read this book, whoever you are.

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not going to lie. I don't get all of it. But I love, love Translation Briefs and Cataloged Evidence. Chris is an incredibly smart guy and this, his second collection, shows off his brains and his ability to play in experimentation and form. Even when I don't get it, it's beautiful and musical.

[Laurel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book because a good friend lent it to me. I really enjoyed how the poet explored "archives" and associated concepts (inventories, etc...). I also wanted to draw pictures in the blank spaces above the poems formatted at the bottom of the page. This is a good thing!

[Wade · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still thinking this one through... Carefully constructed, with as much absence as disonance, as much cohesion as seperation. Worth spening some time with... And the closing section = !