Who Whispered Near Me

by Killarney Clary

Poetry. The work in WHO WHISPERED NEAR ME has marked Killarney Clary as one of the most enigmatic and original poets of her generation. This series of sketches illuminates the intimacies and distances of contemporary life through language that is at once plainspoken and radiant. WHO WHISPERED NEAR ME is layered with inquisitive projections that are unbodied, worldly, and powerfully real."At first it feels as though an amazingly precise but alien eye were observing us; later as though we and our surroundings are perhaps the aliens and Killarney Clary the one who was here first. Things do get sorted out and we all adjust to one another, once we realize that 'we are sincere and self-conscious, like nervous laughter'; that 'it is such an odd desire—to be this or that'; that 'the misery I hold is good sometimes too'; that the severity of her look is constantly nuanced by tenderness and doubt. Hers is a stunning [. . .] voice in American poetry."—John Ashbery"WHO WHISPERED NEAR ME is a commonplace book, a lyrical record of moments and memories. I read this book often for its straightforward beauty and astounding subtlety. Killarney Clary is one of our finest poets."—Ed Skoog

Genres: Poetry

65 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2013

Reviews

[Brandon Alan · Rating 4 out of 5]

[SmarterLilac · Rating 5 out of 5]

...

!

This unbelievably moving book amazed me. I usually don't go in for prose poems, but these are superb. The clarity here is peerless, as is the craft. Each one is like a small miracle. My favorite read of the month.

[Anatoly Molotkov · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The wind stopped for a moment at the end of autumn and twilight; a woman called across the yards to her young son, toward the blueing trees, tired faces of workers who glimpsed the moon beginning. Some things are only bright in the darkness." An ambitious, ambiguous collection of delightfully moody prose poems.

[Julie Allyn Johnson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ugh. Could not wait to be done with this. Clunky, awkward prose poems that simply did not flow. A total waste of time and money.

[Andrew Reeder · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author transforms sentences into blazing images which erupt from the page.

[Matt · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like how these poems are lineated. And I like that they are local like Stinky Felix. Definitely some great moments.

[Ivy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book! It gave me a new perspective on prose poetry.