Inheritance

by Joseph Fasano

The second collection of poetry by acclaimed poet and novelist Joseph Fasano, Inheritance (2014) was nominated for the James Laughlin Award, among other honors.

Genres: Poetry

80 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2014

About the author

Joseph Fasano is the author of the novels The Swallows of Lunetto (Maudlin House, 2022) and The Dark Heart of Every Wild Thing (Platypus Press, 2020), which was named one of the "20 Best Small Press Books of 2020." His books of poetry include The Last Song of the World (BOA Editions, 2024), The Crossing (2018), Vincent (2015), Inheritance (2014), and Fugue for Other Hands (2013). His honors include the Cider Press Review Book Award, the Rattle Poetry Prize, and a nomination for the Poets' Prize, "awarded annually for the best book of verse published by a living American poet two years prior to the award year."

Fasano is an educator focusing on innovative learning strategies. He is the author of The Magic Words (TarcherPerigee, 2024), a collection of poetry prompts and educational tools that help unlock the creativity in people of all ages.

Fasano's writing has appeared in The Times Literary Supplement, The Yale Review, The Southern Review, The Missouri Review, Boston Review, Measure, Tin House, The Adroit Journal, Verse Daily, PEN Poetry Series, American Literary Review, American Poetry Journal, and the Academy of American Poets' poem-a-day program, among other publications. He is a Lecturer at Manhattanville University, and he hosts the Daily Poetry Thread on Twitter/X at @Joseph_Fasano_.

Reviews

[Gerry LaFemina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fasano's second book with its lyric-meditations often in couplets, is a delight. His engaging, contemplative voice, asks us to think with him, to take these journeys. Although he sometimes wears the influence of Larry Levis a bit too much on the page (who wouldn't want to be influenced by Levis?), he's still a young poet, and I'm excited to see what happens to Fasano's voice as that influence gets subsumed.

[Robert Vaughan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This younger poet shows promise and cleverness in his dazzling poems. There is influence from stellar masters like Larry Levis inherent. How could there not be? Still, I admire his craft and the manner in which his poems spin their magic.

[Edward Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

The feeling I get is the feeling I would like from my own poetry. I like the two line stanza forma he uses in many of his poems. A very frugal and succinct style.

[Rusty · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fine poet who probably hasn't even hit his stride yet. These poems are wonderful.