The Girl In The Yellow Raincoat

by Anthony S. Abbott

Book by Manley, Roger

Genres: Poetry

78 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1989

Reviews

[Candy Wood]

In this, Tony Abbott’s first published book of poems, the focus on intense feelings of loss conveyed by vivid imagery that characterizes his later work is already evident. The title poem is typical, with the speaker watching a young woman “on the sidewalk outside / my window” and experiencing what might seem like a disproportionate emotion. In a public reading, Tony Abbott connected the poem to the sudden death, years before, of his four-year-old daughter, answering the speaker’s “why do I weep?” more specifically than the poem does. However, each time I have heard him present the poem, Tony has also read a response written by a student, imagining the feelings of the “girl” as she is aware of being watched. The self-deprecating humor expressed in his appreciation of the student’s work appears in some of these poems too, partly relieving the atmosphere of grief.

[Felicity · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has to be my all-time favorite poetry collection. Anthony Abbott has a beautifully simple eloquence with his writing that inspires awe and is deeply moving while maintaining accessibility. I would absolutely recommend this hidden gem to any poetry reader and even those who typically do not like poetry.

[Peggy Heitmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

The way Tony writes always pulls me into his world of beauty and loss. There is something so purely honest and intimate that I feel warm and comfortable each time I read his poems. My loss is that he is no longer with us to write more, to hear him recite his poems, to see his smile at a meeting of the North Carolina Poetry Society.

[Dan Gobble · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've had the pleasure of hearing Anthony Abbott twice at poetry readings. He engages his craft with passion and I enjoyed this volume of one of his most celebrated works. His poems have much of the wit and humor of a Billy Collins. Abbott speaks of heartbreak, death, and loss with vivid and powerful images. His words evoke a tenderness or passion as scenes from everyday life are marched out. He uses scenes and snippets from the Gospel stories surrounding Jesus in many of these poems, plumbing their depths, offering meditations of sorts, often with unusual twists and takes on the texts.