Self Portrait of Icarus as a Country on Fire

by Jason Schneiderman

In Self Portrait of Icarus as a Country on Fire, Jason Schneiderman confronts the rise of extremism and antisemitism in the United States while grappling with the end of his marriage and finding his feet as a newly single gay man.

Following up on his landmark collection Hold Me Tight, Jason Schneiderman extends his personal and historical explorations in Self Portrait of Icarus as a Country on Fire. Schneiderman’s signature sense of humor works as a connective tissue across the book, even as the juxtapositions become more unlikely (Kafka and Hillary Clinton?), the historical scope becomes wider, and the personal revelations cut deeper than ever before. These poems represent Schneiderman’s most direct and explicit exploration of Jewish heritage and history, bringing to the surface a theme that has often been missed in his work. The strength of these poems is in their power to trace the wound as a form of healing, to confront the agonizing in order to make way for joy and, yes, love.

Genres: Poetry

80 pages, Paperback

Published August 13, 2024

Reviews

[Kyra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Favorites are “Star Dust” (one of the best poems I’ve ever read), “Summer,” “Wolves I Have Known (Found Poem),” and “From A PILLOW BOOK.”