Solutions for the Problem of Bodies in Space: Poems

by Catherine Barnett

The loneliness that collects in mirrors and faces―at bedside vigils and in city streets―quickens Catherine Barnett’s metaphysical poems, which are like speculative prescriptions for this common human experience. Here loneliness is filled with belonging, which is in turn filled with loneliness, each state suffused and emptied by the other. Barnett’s fourth collection is part manifesto, part how-to manual, part a guide to the homeopathic dangers and healing powers of an emotion so charged with eros, humor, and elusive beauty it becomes a companion both desired and eschewed, necessary and illuminating.Solutions for the Problem of Bodies in Space is never far from grief or a comedy of bewilderment, inadequacy, hope. Entering Barnett’s world is a little like entering an electrically charged cloud, and the prospect of either falling or getting caught in a storm brings vertiginous and unpredictable pleasures. Bristling with uncanny intelligence, the poems are sometimes quiet elegies, sometimes meditations on art, love, and the failures of love that so often define love. Barnett might be called a realist―her style is radiantly exact―yet somehow she is a guide both into and out of the existential void. She has written a tender, dazzling collection of estrangement and intimacy.

Genres: Poetry, Nonfiction, Adult

97 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 7, 2024

About the author

Catherine Barnett is the author of four poetry collections, including Solutions for the Problem of Bodies in Space, Human Hours, winner of the Believer Book Award, and The Game of Boxes, winner of the James Laughlin Award of the Academy of American Poets. She lives in New York City.

Reviews

[Ada · Rating 4 out of 5]

Que bonic i llarg i ple d'amors -de coses i persones- i de soledats. Hi tornaré. Les referències són moltes i l'enriqueixen i l'engrandeixen.

[Ambrose Miles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Greywolf Press sent me a copy of this terrific volume of poetry by Catherine Barnett. I loved her poetry immediately from the first poem. Usually it takes a few pages and poems to get a feel for the poet and their poetry. One poem, like a hungry fish, I was (am) hooked.

[Jane Scheiber · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first book I have truly read for myself in over 6 months. Though I love poetry to my death, it is rare to have such a particularly resonant and revelatory experience with an entire collection, as I have had with this one. These are poems so aligned with my own consciousness I felt I myself had spoken them.

[Sandra Del Rio]

You could circle the earth / with the veins, capillaries, and arteries / of anyone you've ever known / or never dreamed would die

[Kylie Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

LOVED the “Studies in Loneliness” and found a lot of tender moments and interesting contemplations throughout the collection.

I did, however, want for some more economy of language. Also, from my perspective as a reader, some of the metaphors felt a little forced/ overly sentimental, especially in the father poems.

That said, I’ve never lost a parent (or published a book of poems), so I’m sure I’m well advised to stfu.

[Jenna Murray · Rating 5 out of 5]

The love I have for Catherine Barnett and this book is indescribable!

[Cheryl · Rating 2 out of 5]

Studies in Loneliness, iii

I take issue with all the studies saying beware loneliness, avoid loneliness, it will speed your death. I say it will speed your death only if you believe it’s a toxin. Imagine loneliness is a drug curing you of loneliness!

When I teach, I seem to let all twelve hearts beat inside my own. No wonder it’s both an opiate and a weight. Does a heart adjust to other hearts in the room, the way our periods synchronize, the way I hold my head mirroring yours? Whoever you are.

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I peeked at the Notes section before starting this and knew immediately it was going to be good. I really absolutely loved it to the point where I could not name individual favorite poems. The voice is perfection, the images are spooky and seductive, the emotions are tangible.
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If you liked Victoria Chang’s “With My Back to the World,” you’ll like this.
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If you are not an often sad and lonely person, this might not make sense to you.

[Skylar Miklus · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful and plainspoken meditation on loneliness. Instead of working with received/established poetic forms, Catherine Barnett allows the use of rhyme & other sonic techniques to make the poems more spontaneous, fluid, intuitive, to great effect. My favorite poems were "Critique of Pure Reason" and "Still Life."

[riley ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

"I can’t be lonely because there’s not time—look at my calendar all booked up with the assuaging of loneliness."

"Some of us write to appease the loneliness, why else leave a mark? I was here, words say, this is what it was like, don’t forget—"

[Rhiley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ouch. That one hurt. I was not emotionally prepared for that. Grief and depression and familial bonds were explored deeply and in the most heartbreaking manner. I was shedding tears by the end.

[Quinn Rennerfeldt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love everything this woman does

[Laura Dame · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Someone is shuffling through me, moving the hanger along to look at the other blouses and sweaters, and sometimes the clock starts beating inside my heart, and then there's even more noise, mortal noise.”

def will be reading more Catherine Barnett poetry!

[Timothy Sikes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very nice book of poetry! Her themes of loneliness being two sides of the same coin, as well as dealing with the death of her father, made some really affective poetry.

[Brice Montgomery · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Graywolf Press For the ARC!

Catherine Barnett’s Solutions for the Problem of Bodies in Space is as sprawling, excessive, and essential as one might expect from the book’s title, but it serves a purpose—illuminating the abundance of ways we try to fill the vacuum of loneliness.

This is a collection preoccupied with impermanence, slipping in and out of relationship and isolation in equal measure. The titular bodies move entropically, shaded by fatigue, which causes these poems to read like someone expelling every end-of-day thought in a single, heavy sigh. There are countless moments where the speaker seems to be throwing ideas at the wall, hoping at least one of them will offer the friction necessary for connection. Barnett’s ability to take this approach without it undermining the book is impressive. These poems draw the reader in just enough to make them aware of their own distance, and the effect is mesmerizing and dreamlike.

The title itself seems like an irony—these poems sit largely outside of space, often drifting towards metaphor in lieu of physicality. In an interesting move, the sequence comprising ten “Studies in Loneliness” poems feels the most transparent and the most grounded. It seems to suggest that the certainty of loneliness is its ability to offer moments of lucidity.

Truly a remarkable collection.

[Daoud M · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Solutions for the Problem of Bodies in Space" by Catherine Barnett is a mesmerizing exploration of the complexities of loneliness and human connection. Barnett's metaphysical poems delve into the depths of solitude, transforming it into a realm where belonging and isolation intertwine in a dance of paradoxical emotions.

With each poem, Barnett offers readers a glimpse into the enigmatic landscape of the human experience, where grief and humor coexist, and longing becomes a companion both embraced and shunned. Through her radiant language and keen observations, Barnett crafts a collection that is part manifesto, part guidebook, navigating the perilous terrain of emotion with grace and insight.

As readers journey through Barnett's poetic world, they are enveloped in a whirlwind of sensations, where the mundane becomes sublime and the ordinary takes on extraordinary significance. "Solutions for the Problem of Bodies in Space" is a testament to Barnett's skill as a poet, offering tender reflections on love, loss, and the existential quandaries that define the human condition.

(And thank you for the opportunity to discover this tender and dazzling collection.)

[Courtney LeBlanc · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of poems about loss, grief, family, and continuing to survive.

from Envoy: "The moth, vibrating there // in the circle of light, seemed to be choosing / transcendence over other basic needs. // Imperial moths have no mouthparts, / they don't eat, they make no sound."

from Night Watch: "Around him we were // a collective / for which there existed no name. // Vortex? / Hive? Enigma? // Astrophysicists were asking / for suggestions. // Terror. A terror of black holes, / someone proposed/ // Yes, that was true. / Silence. A silence of black holes, // someone proposed. / That was too accurate."

[Sofi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Catherine Barnett's "Solutions for the Problem of Bodies in Space" is a stunning collection that transcends the boundaries of poetry. Barnett's masterful use of language and imagery captures the profound complexities of existence with an elegance that is both thought-provoking and deeply moving. Each poem is a journey, exploring the intimate and the cosmic with remarkable sensitivity and insight. Her ability to weave intricate emotions into her verses leaves a lasting impact, making this collection a luminous exploration of human experience. This book is a testament to Barnett's extraordinary talent and a must-read for poetry lovers everywhere.

[Stephen Lamb · Rating 5 out of 5]

from Studies in Loneliness, iii

I take issue with all the studies saying beware loneliness, avoid loneliness, it will speed your death.

I say it will speed your death only if you believe it's a toxin.

[Kelly Sauskojus]

Was telling someone today about how every Sunday I gloriously binge a whole book of poetry. And they were like, wow, but poetry is so hard! But it's not hard. It's so easy in the way only challenging and beautiful and good things are.

[Chris]

I love Barnett’s use of academic and mundane ideas and images to describe, to explicate, our human existence.

[Sebastian · Rating 5 out of 5]

First read: June 29, 2024, Saturday

[holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

i love her. i'm so glad she wrote another book

[Clare Flanagan · Rating 5 out of 5]

SOOOO freaking good. earned a spot at the top of my bookshelf where I keep my all-time favorites :')

[milo · Rating 3 out of 5]

some beautiful ruminations on loneliness art etc but nothing that exploded my brain

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to give this to Kelley. Selfishly, I wish she were still in two places at the same time.

[C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A+++++++++

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was gifted this book for Christmas because it's on NPR's 2024's 'Books We Love' list. I'm happy to say I loved it too.

A major theme in the book is loneliness, how it is a burden but also helps the poet, both the poison and the antidote. And the title of the chapbook is from when the poet is about to travel away from a terminally ill friend and the poet wishes she could be in two places at once, hence the 'problem of bodies in space.'

[Dean Oken · Rating 5 out of 5]

a terror of black holes

[Sonja]

By page 15 I was already writing again. Thank you for the inspiration, Catherine Barnett.