Walt Whitman in Hell: Poems

by T.R. Hummer

Book by Hummer, T. R.

Genres: Poetry

80 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 1996

Reviews

[Billy]

That Terry Hummer is a musical poet or a poetical musician or both!

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

The title poem is absolutely phenomenal. I would've placed it first in the collection - engaging work nevertheless. My partner, who took a class with T R at ASU, said he is the most well read writer she's ever met - a formidable breadth of knowledge of poets of times past and of generally wide reading is evident here. Good book to chew on mentally.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is chockfull of fabulous images and enthralling lines. I imagine it wildly inspiring to many. The title poem itself is a tour de force. My personal cup of tea is along a more narrative line than these poems generally contain so, while I may not wax as ecstatic over it as some, hardy anyone interested in poetry would be disappointed in this collection. It should be read for the title alone!

[Patricia Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is different from the other books. These poems are dense, cerebral, meditative explorations of metaphysical and existential and personal relationships. They are heavier than the other work I've read by Hummer. Like I want to give him a hug. But also keep listening. Here are some moments that stood out to me.

"She thinks she does not care what the dead are doing."

"In these nights is the power
fact has over lyric, how what is
Suffered is suffered, how ice
resembles ice."

"An allegory whose other side is blankness."

"There are parts of the body so fragile/
they can't survive the simplest acts."

"Maybe nothing ever meant more on earth than what it weighs."

"I watched the bodies of cornstalks martyr themselves in dustdevil pyres of topsoil."

[ben adam · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book spends more effort on allusion than on aesthetics. It stuffs itself full of obscurity and seems to revel in its own academic elitism. Some of the ideas behind the poems are cool. I appreciate the obvious effort put into creating original ideas, but ultimately, this book was a chore to get through instead of an inspiring work of beauty, which all poetry should be.