Practice On Mountains

by David Bartone

"In a long-form poetry that tirelessly makes its case for its own heritage, Practice on Mountains documents a striving lover through eight weeks of various literatures, reflections, and desires. The poems and translations in this book value experience--the lived poem. The metaphysic of the literary love affair leads to its beautiful, chaotic, thoughtful pile of lyrical musings. Wallace Stevens writes, 'it is not the reason / That makes us happy or unhappy. The bird sings." H.D., Thoreau, Li Po, Pound, classic country hymns, Glenn Gould, and the poet's friends are called on, among others, in the reckless appropriations that provide for such a poetry."

Genres: Poetry

112 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2014

Reviews

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Here is a book I felt compelled to read again almost as soon as I finished it. I still feel pulled in by it, its intimacy, it is a kind of poetry I love and yet it also feels very original. I am a little jealous of this book too. It is hard to select a piece to excerpt. Any piece is fine to excerpt.

"Tonight: yes but I want to say yes.
Tonight: the will to do as you do, the guide, the Beatrice, the Guido.
Tonight the mountains.
Tonight the mountains I would forfeit to call upon her.
Amazing the things I strive to forfeit.
Amazing the things that do and do not need to be done to move me to immorality.
Amazing the things."

[Jacob · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a find!