Buffalo Head Solos

by Tim Seibles

Poetry. "Reading Tim Seibles reminds me of the Buddhist parable of the burning everyone ignores the flames, pretends there is no smoke, no pain, no prospect of death. Or, if there is, it will only happen to someone else, someone in another world. According to these teachings, aversion and attachment are not the greatest barriers to fulfillment; it is indifference that endangers a soul. Not to embrace or confront what is undeniably there but to detach ourselves and retreat. It is precisely this indifference that these poems challenge with lyric insistence - begging, assailing, teasing, affirming. In this mystical, romantic and political collection, Seibles is willing to take a chance, any chance to engage the general malaise of our times. He is a musician of the spirit and of the body, and it is that quality which carries us forward breath by breath, line by line. The journey is oddly enchanting, even transformative"--Nin Andrews.

Genres: Poetry

132 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2004

About the author

Tim Seibles, born in 1955, is an American poet and professor. He is the author of five collections of poetry, most recently, Buffalo Head Solos (Cleveland State University Poetry Center, 2004). His honors include an Open Voice Award and fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Provincetown Fine Arts Work Center.

His poems have been published in literary journals and magazines including Callaloo, The Kenyon Review, Indiana Review, Ploughshares, Electronic Poetry Review, Rattle, and in anthologies including Verse & Universe: Poems About Science and Mathematics (Milkweed Editions, 1998) and New American Poets in the 90's (David R. Godine, 1991).

Seibles was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and earned his B.A. from Southern Methodist University in 1977. He remained in Dallas after graduating and taught high school English for ten years. He received his M.F.A. from Vermont College in 1990. He is a professor of English and creative writing at Old Dominion University, as well as teaching in the Stonecoast MFA Program in Creative Writing and teaching workshops for Cave Canem. He lives in Norfolk, Virginia.

Reviews

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection of poems begins with an open letter from Tim Seibles about poetry's potential. He suggests, "Perhaps even the realm of The Sacred might be rescued from dogma and returned to all of us in its broadest expanse - through poetry - if the poets dare to sing wilder hymns." There is much in here that dares to sing wilder hymns, that testifies to the sacred in the everyday and the profane in false belief systems. "First Kiss" is one of my favorites.

[Alisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had to read this book for my Poetry One class. I really liked some of the poems int this books.

I liked how Mr. Tim Seibles used the line breaks, the language and the stanzas breaks as well. I really liked how some of the poems were lyrical.

Some of poems that I liked were:
- Visions
- Jimi's Blues
- The Further Adventures of Tutor the Turtle
- Renegades
- Bonobo
- First Kiss

[ryo narasaki · Rating 4 out of 5]

excellent. great language and rhythm, eg: "he mashed his palm to his forehead," "you can kiss my flurry ass, said the cat," and "we run/ like smoke in a big wind/ we run."

[Ceci · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favorite book by my longtime friend, the brilliant poet Tim Seibles. I won't ruin it for you. Just read it. Accessible, musical, lovable, incredible.

[Isaurathewriter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful collection of TIm Seibles whose voice is like any other. I can hear his words much like the way he read aloud for the VONA reading.