Drowning in Wheat: Selected Poems

by John Kinsella

FROM THE WINNER OF THE CHRISTOPHER BRENNAN AWARD FOR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN POETRY

"It is a major achievement, a life work..." Sydney Morning Herald

Drowning in Wheat collects the best of three decades of John Kinsella's astonishing poetry in one volume. Kinsella is universally acknowledged as one of the greatest living Australian poets, and arguably the most important 'eco-poet' of the age; however, this collection also reveals a writer of unexpected and remarkable versatility, and one fluent in an almost bewildering range of forms, registers and voices. Despite its great thematic range, Kinsella's overarching project emerges all the more Drowning in Wheat is a clarion call and a call to order, a plea to listen to the earth - and to understand our own place within it while we still can. It is also an ideal introduction to one of the essential poets of the age.

PRAISE FOR DROWNING IN WHEAT

"There is a Blakean as well as a cerebral pleasure in Kinsella's poems..." The Australian

Genres: Poetry

392 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2016

About the author

John Kinsella is the author of more than twenty collections of poetry. The recipient of the Christopher Brennan Award, he has taught at Cambridge University and Kenyon College. He lives in Western Australia.

Reviews

[tom · Rating 5 out of 5]

i loved this so much

[Herminia Chow · Rating 4 out of 5]

About the book: It’s a collection of selected poems. I received a copy from Publishers Group Canada.

First impressions: Even early on, I was amazed at all the techniques used by the poet. Kinsella explores environmental issues related to land and animals. That being said, he often addresses specific issues that apply to his home country, Australia. I probably should’ve looked up the references I didn’t understand. Also, the book is longer than I expected at about 400 pages.

“you associate with those
you love most”

Writing: Some words and phrases seem like Aussie slang. I’d have an even greater appreciation for his work if I knew more about the issues Kinsella writes about. His poems touch upon important topics though. The collection opened my eyes to many ecological concerns.

Final thoughts: I loved a couple poems at the end. The book feels quite unified without being too repetitive. Overall, I liked both the form and content.

I’d recommend Drowning In Wheat to those interested in ecopoetry. Perhaps Kinsella’s work isn’t the most accessible or the easiest for beginners, but it provides a fun challenge nonetheless.