Księga rzeczy

by Aleš Šteger, Miłosz Biedrzycki (Translator)

Tytułowe „rzeczy” to przedmioty codziennego użytku (parasol, łopata czy wycieraczka), potrawy (chleb, rodzynki, czekolada), substancje (sól, ślina, galareta), zwierzęta (kot, konik morski, mrówka) oraz jeszcze bardziej nieoczekiwane obiekty. Każdemu został poświęcony jeden z wierszy, który jest kunsztownym i frapującym połączeniem osobistego tonu z uniwersalną tematyką. Uważne przyglądanie się rzeczom stanowi dla poety punkt wyjścia do poetyckich miniatur uwodzących bogactwem wyobraźni i zaskakujących skojarzeń, a niekiedy – do pogłębionych, wręcz medytacyjnych refleksji na tematy osobiste, społeczne i ogólnoludzkie. Ton i nastrój poszczególnych wierszy w książce zmieniają się w szerokim zakresie, od figlarnego i żartobliwego aż po przejmująco melancholijny. Niezmienne pozostają skupienie poety na słowie i nieustający wysiłek, by odpowiednie dać rzeczy słowo.

Genres: Poetry

88 pages, Unknown Binding

First published January 1, 2005

Reviews

[Caroline]

Challenging poems. Some I liked very much: Potato, Wall, Cat, Earring. Most were too abstruse for my taste.

[Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am translating this book (which originally appeared in Slovenian) into English. It's a blast. Each poem is like a little puzzle, or a locked box with multiple keyholes. The language is simultaneously clear and mysterious, and always turning in on itself. The poems remind me a little of Vasko Popa, and of Ponge, but Steger definitely has his own vector here.

[Lindsey]

Look for my review in the Winter 2012 Sycamore Review.

[Bonnie G. · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought I liked poetry. But maybe I don't.

[Vic · Rating 1 out of 5]

I try to be forgiving about “problematic” elements of literature, especially international literature and especially when it serves a purpose beyond being racist or sexist or what have you. The use of slurs and racist language in this work did not serve anything except the perpetuating of disgusting stereotypes and therefore is not worth interrogating beyond noting their potential for harm.

All that aside, and in a world where it wasn’t there, I might have liked this book more if I didn’t read it right after Remnants of Another Age, or maybe not. At the end of the day the author’s accusatory nihilism was uncomfortable to sit with, which I’m sure was the intention, but also felt very preachy in the context of the odd gender norms baked into the poems.

Or maybe I’m just a bitter dog person, who can say

[Cody Stetzel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an absolutely incredible work. So unique, lovely, I felt constantly engaged and renewed in interest and imaginative capacity reading it.

Some of my favorites were, "Chocolate," - Will she dig up some insight?
"Earring," - It is enough that he sees half the world to command the other half.
"Wall," - You are without a wall, where all this would end.
And "Chair"

[verbava · Rating 2 out of 5]

це така ну нормальна поетична збірка, але штеґер сам собі влаштував невигідне сусідство, бо найліпше в книжці — епіграф із «літературного словника словенської мови»: не для кожної речі існує слово, — і алюзія до нього у вірші під назвою «мурашка»:

і немає назв для того, що є.
та коли вона зникає в себе в лабіринті, лишається надія,
що є бодай назви для того, чого немає.

[taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

also met aleš! he spoke brilliancy. i still think about the mint one.

[Kirsten · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting and successful premise. I'm quite taken by the difficulty of translating poetry, especially poetry that seems to be so wrapped in wordplay.

[Marike]

The book of things: Poems by Ales Steger; translated from the Slovenian by Brian Henry

I was amazed by these poems: going through a sense of an object to a meditation or consideration of something that touch me in a different experience. It seems to call up something concrete and dreamlike at the same time. Feel new and remembered at the same time.
Let me quote one of the poems early in the book:

STONE

No one hears what the stone keeps to himself.
Insignificant, it is only his, like pain,
Caught between the leather of a shoe and the sole.

When you slip it off, leaves spin in bare alleys.
What was, will never be again,
And piles of others are signs of decay.
The smell of nearby clinics. Mute, you go on.

What you keep to yourself, no one hears.
You are the only inhabitant of your stone.
You just threw it away.

Ales Steger
translated from the Slovenian by Brian Henry
From The Book of Things

The book is divided into seven parts with seven poems each. The translator tells us that the poems in this book are more formal in structure than Steger’s other poetry. That is, the poems are in formal stanzas (though each poem finds its own structure, they are not all in the same formal pattern).

If this was a very extensive review, I might have found the unity of each section and explained that here. As is, I will simply say that I loved most of the poems in the first section and in the last section, but that the middle sections of the book I found – well, quite different. This is not in itself a criticism, and I know that there is a political dimension even in some of the poems I do like, but the middle sections are much more sardonic in tone and very much political. (There are references explained at the back of the book, but not really so much that the flow of a poem is disturbed, but now and again some historical context helps). Point being that I realised also how little I know of Eastern European history and the horrors there, too. (Of course, each place seems to have its own sorrows and cruelty to live with). And the poems make this communal pain quite visible in an uncomfortable way (which is probably as it should be). The tone is (to me) quite harsh – as I say, it has its place. (and I guess I might be a bit of a prude, so some of the imagery just is almost too much for me? even though I realise that the aim of the poem is clearly of rage, anger, aimed to shock) But it shifted the tone of the book for me.

But happy to have met these poems. A new sort of dimension.

[Nancy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Love the idea, the pacing, the structure -- and a nice handful of phrases.
"a castrated transvestite in fur" (that's a cat); "Students of belly dancing" (sea horse); "Like two serfs in black rubber boots. / They get up to go immediately back to bed." (windshield wipers); and, "Who can digest so much affection / And not bark? Vau vau! She is probably Korean" (Cocker Spaniel). (Korean? I don't get it.)
Best (least gross?) are his animals, though Steger does justice to the animal in us (as in the nicely exciting "Strobe Light").

[Leanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many moving lines, many stunning images. Reminded me of Vasko Popa, except more contemporary (naturally) and with a broader palette and zanier sense of humor. Who else writes these "catalogue" poems? i.e. poems that circle around the titular subject (cat, dog, soap, etc.)? Steger, Popa, Ponge...since it's something I do, it would be good for me to read poets who do it!

[Juli Anna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Steger is a very proficient poet, but I found this book somewhat lackluster. Each poem is a mediation on a particular everyday object ("Egg," "Bed," etc.), but the poems are wandering and esoteric, rather than as bitingly concrete as I would like them to be.

[Adam P. · Rating 4 out of 5]

longer review to be coming soon