Ocular Proof

by Martha Ronk

Taking its title from Shakespeare’s Othello, a play that questions the veracity of what eyes actually see, Ocular Proof explores not only what each of us sees, but also how photographs modify sight as they capture, distort, frame, and simultaneously encourage discovery. These poems play off critical insights about the function of photographs and the power of visual imagery in the modern world and yet are decidedly personal. They address the unreality of one’s own life, the illegibility of the past and future, and our strong attraction to focused details such as “Kertesz photographing stairs extending past the small figure and out of sight.”

Genres: Poetry

96 pages, Paperback

Published October 1, 2016

Reviews

[Andy Oram · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ronk hones in on images, the preservation of the past, and distortions in our perception, which are somewhat intellectual concerns that lead to a cerebral book. Certain everyday words turn up repeatedly, tying together the impressions scattered throughout the poems. Although most of the poems seem to refer to photos or other artifacts, some intimacy is allowed in as well. In the final section, Shadows and Elegies, the poems are less dense, less difficult, and more lyrical.