A grammar of endings

by Alana Wilcox

A Grammar of Endings is a beautiful, passionate fall into helpless love, a love letter to a man whose presence fills the air, the light, and the narrator's surroundings. Lost pleasures torment her, and only the order of words aids her in finding a way to grieve the man who is gone, and to begin to love another.

Genres: Poetry

151 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2000

About the author

Alana Wilcox is the senior editor of Coach House Books, where she co-founded the uTOpia series. She also serves as the past chair of the Literary Press Group.

Reviews

[Thalia Andasol]

this was my follow-up read to yourcenar's alexis and it reminded me once again how brutal it is to be alive or whatever, to have to keep moving with every change, every loss. but also made me think of the potential of catharsis with the sadness we carry. on more of a theoretical note, over this last semester, i got fixated on the limitations of language and writing and i admire this book for engaging with those ideas while still using the medium of the written word. like alexis, it is a mournful love letter, and i think at this current moment in my life that is the best book premise for me. it is subversive and indulgent and so stuck in one person's head and it forces me to linger with the text. basically, i just love the articulation of emotion both text provide especially as someone who has difficulties finding works to explain how I feel.