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Dynamite
The poems of Anders Carlson-Wee's debut chapbook Dynamite flare with the volatile heat of discovery and loss as they follow the journeys of a speaker whose wanderlust leads him to the fringes of the American experiment. Whether hopping freight trains with his brother or sleeping in the homes of strangers, the speaker is haunted by the tragic and oddly gracious people he meets. Selected by Jennifer Grotz as the winner of The Frost Place Chapbook Competition, Anders Carlson-Wee's Dynamite rides into the unmappable territories and wide expanses of the spirit.
- GenresPoetry
27 pages, Paperback
First published August 15, 2015
33 people want to read
About the author
Anders Carlson-Wee
11 books38 followersAnders Carlson-Wee is the author of DISEASE OF KINGS (W.W. Norton, 2023), THE LOW PASSIONS (W.W. Norton, 2019), a New York Public Library Book Group Selection, and DYNAMITE (Bull City Press, 2015), winner of the Frost Place Chapbook Prize.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
June 23, 2017
Bare-bones poetry with a nostalgia of the road and whispers of menace. The book itself smelled like a tongue depressor.
March 12, 2020
Gritty, bright portraiture of moments that feel at once urban and desolate (and also occupy the space between these two things, perhaps).
October 10, 2016
All of a sudden, the Carlson-Wee brothers seem to be everywhere I look. When I buy a sample copy of a poetry journal, one of them is almost always in there. When I get a contributor's copy of a journal, one of them is usually in there, too. I got so curious about them that I finally looked them up and found out that, like me, they're North Dakota natives. So when I heard that Anders Carlson-Wee had published a chapbook, I decided I should probably buy a copy.
In form, this is simple, straightforward narrative poetry. The sentences are declarative, and there are very few big words. Yet out of this simplicity, the poet creates very striking images. I say "striking" and not "beautiful" for a reason. This is a very violent, masculine book. Many of the poems are about riding the rails. There are several about fights with varying kinds of weapons. There's even a poem about a dead dog.
The subject matter of this collection wasn't really up my alley, but I must admit that it is finely wrought and would be of interest to many other people I know.
In form, this is simple, straightforward narrative poetry. The sentences are declarative, and there are very few big words. Yet out of this simplicity, the poet creates very striking images. I say "striking" and not "beautiful" for a reason. This is a very violent, masculine book. Many of the poems are about riding the rails. There are several about fights with varying kinds of weapons. There's even a poem about a dead dog.
The subject matter of this collection wasn't really up my alley, but I must admit that it is finely wrought and would be of interest to many other people I know.
May 7, 2017
Very much enjoyed reading Dynamite by Anders Carlson-Wee. In fact, I absolutely will have no problem at all in continuing to follow along with his story/poetry. Carlson-Wee's insight/poems of what must have been difficult circumstances growing up is incredible. His imagery is wonderful and yet so succinct without, in turn, being obscure. Just as importantly, he pulls the reader into his poems and, once we are there, once we have committed, he leaves us at the perfect moment, curious and looking for more. Dynamite is an excellent chap book and a wonderful selection of poetry.
Bravo too to Bull City Press. I have to say, this is the third book of poetry I have purchased from Bull City Press, and all have been wonderful. Clearly, this Press is "hot" right now, and whoever the editors are, they are doing a great job of finding a cadre of intriguing poets! Congrats to the Press and a special congratulations to Mr. Carlson-Wee for sharing such interesting poems.
Bravo too to Bull City Press. I have to say, this is the third book of poetry I have purchased from Bull City Press, and all have been wonderful. Clearly, this Press is "hot" right now, and whoever the editors are, they are doing a great job of finding a cadre of intriguing poets! Congrats to the Press and a special congratulations to Mr. Carlson-Wee for sharing such interesting poems.
September 6, 2020
Anders and I were in the same poetry seminar class with Bruce Beasley when we were both getting our undergrad writing degrees at WWU. I remember asking him once if he had the burning desire, as I did at the time, to be published. He said something of the sort that it wasn't all about that, it was the process, what it gave him. But here he is, published and successful and I'm glad he's made it so far.
Anders is a good man, as these poems will show you, who searches for what I'd call a certain type of painful clarity. He's a younger ramblin' Jack Gilbert with not a lot of need for metaphor, it's how he sees it, from the freedom of escape to the acceptance of natural gruesomeness. Poetry keeps him humble and sharp, and out for experiential wisdom.
Anders is a good man, as these poems will show you, who searches for what I'd call a certain type of painful clarity. He's a younger ramblin' Jack Gilbert with not a lot of need for metaphor, it's how he sees it, from the freedom of escape to the acceptance of natural gruesomeness. Poetry keeps him humble and sharp, and out for experiential wisdom.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews