X =: POEMS

by Stephen Berg

In "X=," Stephen Berg winds through the wreck of longing and loss, navigating the strains of curious beauty with flashes of electrifying clarity. Stripping bare the burdens of gnawing, unknowing fear, Berg has found his way into a voice of great energy and spontaneity, into a form of overwhelming urgency and detail.A poet of immeasurable versatility and invention, Berg is the recipient of the Frank O'Hara Memorial Prize, the Columbia University Translation Prize, and Guggenheim, National Endowment for the Arts, Dietrich Foundation, and Pew fellowships.

Genres: Poetry

88 pages, Hardcover

First published August 13, 2002

Reviews

[Jake · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is why library book bingos are necessary.

I only checked this one out because I needed to read a book of poems and I wanted to check the nettlesome
“X” off the A-Z reading list. A convoluted reason to begin with and this wasn’t even the book I thought I was getting! I thought I’d get a different X by a different author.

I’m glad I got this one. Some of these really spoke to me, including the ones on death and charity. Some were a bit too adrift, too self-indulgent, reminding me why I don’t often read poetry. But this was a delightful surprise. I feel full in a way I don’t often feel when finishing poetry.

[Linus · Rating 3 out of 5]

Couple of gems, namely “Satori, the Immediate Presence of”

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

poems as equations. Rhythms and zen concepts.