Falling in the Direction of Up

by Kurt Luchs

Poetry. Kurt Luchs is well-known for brilliant comic writing (such as his previous IT'S FUNNY UNTIL SOMEONE LOSES AN EYE), but he has always written poetry, and in recent years his accomplished verse has appeared in dozens of journals. In FALLING IN THE DIRECTION OF UP, his first full-length collection, his voice is lyrical, direct, mysterious, funny and awestruck by turns, often in the same poem. Its four sections form a redemptive arc: from harrowing childhood memory, to closely observed nature lyrics and meditations, through a poetic high noon teeming all at once with the surreal, satirical and soulful, coming at last to a powerful sequence of love poems that range from joyful to mournful to sensual to bemused. Here is the work of a poet writing at the height of his powers, what James Wright called "the poetry of a grown man."

98 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2021

Reviews

[September Withers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Falling in the Direction of Up is a rich, finely crafted collection that shows Kurt Luchs writing with full command of tone, emotion, and insight. His poems move with an ease that feels both natural and deeply considered, shifting from mystery to humor to reflection without losing clarity or purpose.

What makes this collection stand out is the emotional arc woven through its four sections. Luchs guides the reader from raw childhood impressions into vivid moments of nature and thought, then further into poems that balance the surreal with the soulful. The closing suite of love poems is especially striking, capturing joy, longing, tenderness, and quiet ache in a way that feels true and resonant.

The writing is direct yet layered, lyrical yet grounded, and consistently surprising in the best way. This is the work of a poet in full maturity, offering poems that linger and echo long after the book is closed. A graceful and compelling collection.