Femme Au Chapeau

by Rachel Dacus

In Femme au chapeau , poems serve as miniature of childhood's fears, accidents, and small glories; parents captured as paintings; nature's grandeurs and paeans to the Maker. These poems unravel life's rich uncertainties -- love, grief, and joy contained in concise, often formally framed, poetry by turns contemplative, narrative, and ultimately filled with praise -- of the miracles large and small, and even the tragedies -- all the astonishing enterprise of being alive.

Thehands that cut the apple
arewhite-fleshed as the silence
betweenus in the kitchen. Her sob
ofbreath. Cotton cloths, simple tasks.
Herhands skin and delve
apale core from each green globe,
slicesmiles and drop
themin the dough's lap.
Mymother's hands soothe my forehead,
tugand tuck corners, tails, hairs
andsheets. Shove me forward, hold me back.

-- from "Apple Pie Order"

84 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2005

About the author

Rachel Dacus writes time travel and women's fiction with a supernatural twist. She is the author of seven novels and four poetry collections. Her Timegathering series has been called a "unique and spellbinding twist to the time-traveling adventure, perfect for fans of Susanna Kearsley and Diana Gabaldon." Rachel lives in Northern California with her architect husband and Silky Terrier. She is a member of the Women's Fiction Writers Association.

Reviews

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been privileged to take a poetry class with Rachel Dacus, and in that class I noticed her fearless use of language. Through her assured descriptions of things, such a a typewriter ("your black crackle finish and oily tang"), a mountain ("jags in black waves"), or a date palm ("a swag of serrated green knives"), she enlivens even mundane subjects.

The book is divided into 3 sections, with the first concentrating on family history.

I was consistently struck by how well poems were paired on facing pages, such as the poem about the Bat Mitzvah across from a poem about birthdays. Or "The Palm, ostensibly about a date palm but also about an argument, facing "Degrees," about making up after a fight.

Some poems, like "Grunion Run," one of my favorites, tell a story about a California that probably is no more. Others plumb the relationship between infertility and creativity.

Dacus is adept with form: the first two poems are sonnets, and she includes a terzanelle, pantoums, and an absolutely lovely ghazal.

My only complaint about this book is that in a few places, she has reached too far for a word or tried too hard to wrap up a poem. But then I come upon a line like "as a woman all rainbow atomic ignition," and I think, "That is so cool."

[LouAnn · Rating 5 out of 5]

See my full review here: http://www.hercircleezine.com/2008/05...