Somewhere During the Spin Cycle

by Joseph Mills

The subjects and settings of Joseph Mills' poems range from Laundromats, groceries, and coffee shops, to cemeteries, the stars over the Grand Canyon, and even Purgatory, which is seen as a combination "dry cleaner/car wash." These poems, which deal mainly with traveling and motion, explore the simple encounters that can suggest the complexity of human interactions. In everyday language, the narrator considers topics such as how difficult it can be to find a poem to read at a wedding, what happens when a person drives non-stop from Salt Lake to Chicago, and why it would be convenient if people wore labels like wine bottles, so "we would have a better idea/who might improve with age/and who we should enjoy now."

Genres: Poetry

88 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2006

About the author

As a kid, I hauled around a Falstaff beer case full of comic books on my family’s trips. Now, I always carry a bag of books whenever I travel. These usually go unopened because I end up reading (and buying) what I find on my journeys. I know traveling would be much easier if I didn’t carry the bag, but I can’t bring myself to leave it behind.

Reviews

[Matt Mason · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this fine book. The poems have a certain seriousness to them mixed with a humorous take on the universe which augments even the most somber of subjects Mills works with.

One of my favorites is "How to Search for a Poem to Read at a Wedding" which starts with a funny take on frustration searching for the right poem, and then it moves on to being a poem you might be tempted to read at a wedding if you, like the speaker, were to be asked.

My absolute favorite, though, is "Shooting a Scene in the Parkview Cemetary" set in a cemetary where a film crew is working, bouncing from the ultimate in faked reality to life and death itself in ten well-crafted segments. The crew lounges and eats donuts, waiting to resume shooting while mourners come for their very real funerals:

"I watch the black crowd gather,
consider swelling the scene,
a comfort to family,
a puzzle to friends,
a stranger on the periphery,
marking the radius of grief."

[Eric Shaffer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fine collection of poems from Joseph Mills. Mills has a direct clear voice and speaks of events and relationships we all encounter, and he says smart things in a wise manner about them all. My favorites include "Introductions Made Easy," "How to Search for a Poem to Read at a Wedding," "The Optometrist Explains How We Carry the Dead Within Us," "When My Students Ask Why They Need Poetry," and "Heaven's Gate." I recommend this one highly.

[Sheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I guess I shouldn't rate all our books 5 stars. I may appear insincere, like I'm only peddling our wares. Okay, fine. You read it. I'll leave it to you. 5 stars, I'm telling you.