What do you think?
Rate this book
Sonnets with Two Torches and One Cliff
A fresh and modern take on one of the most classic poetic forms in the Western literary tradition.
“What if creatures in other galaxies / have a vague sense that something is missing, / but don’t know it’s Little Richard, Shakespeare, / and cornbread with plum jam?” In this collection, Robert Thomas presents eighty nontraditional sonnets that explore love and jealousy—the traditional obsessions of sonnets—from nontraditional angles. Other galaxies are jealous of Earth in these heartbreaking, funny, ecstatic, profound, and never boring poems.
“What if creatures in other galaxies / have a vague sense that something is missing, / but don’t know it’s Little Richard, Shakespeare, / and cornbread with plum jam?” In this collection, Robert Thomas presents eighty nontraditional sonnets that explore love and jealousy—the traditional obsessions of sonnets—from nontraditional angles. Other galaxies are jealous of Earth in these heartbreaking, funny, ecstatic, profound, and never boring poems.
96 pages, Paperback
Published February 21, 2023
1 person is currently reading
8 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
July 19, 2023
Published 25 May 2023 as “Poetic Expressions” in The Berkeley Times, “Knox Book Beat.”
Thomas’ Sonnets are just amazing. William Butler Yeats said “a poem comes right with a click like a closing box,” and Thomas’ do just that; but in a sensual, organic way, not “mechanical” nor artificial in the least. The art of language, like the best, is totally hidden; leaving exactly the right sound and suggestion to strike the senses, mind and heart all at once.
Not rhyming nor strictly Iambic pentameter, they are all titled “SONNET WITH (ONE WORD/IMAGE) AND (ANOTHER WORD/IMAGE),” like “SONNET WITH SCHLOCK AND YONDER” and “SONNET WITH DEATH AND RED-CHECKED TABLECLOTH.” He said they were “theme and variation” on “jealous love of various kinds,” but I found them often the most precise, vivid, understandable and gracious explications of men’s jealousy of women (‘s sensuality/sexuality) I’d ever encountered. (And I’ve read A LOT on those subjects. Trust me. Freud was way off, but on generally the right track for his [highly restricted/patriarchal] era.)
A few of my (very sparse) notes: “the poet and the form – interaction, creative. -- These are terrific poems! -- Great sound. -- Sharp. -- Completions. -- Just wonderful! -- Wow. -- Like Rilke, but modern. -- Miraculous. -- Understandably opaque. -- Duluth! -- Imagination… -- Better & better! -- Such a pleasure to love someone and write about it/them/yourself so perfectly! –
Who IS this guy? Robert Thomas. What a dumb name for such a magical wordsmith!... -- Love it. No idea what it ‘means’.” etc. “The storm of noise” -- The only cliché in the book. – “p. 83 -- Infinite truth.”
You don’t need a lot of notes if the poetry is just right.
Thomas’ Sonnets are just amazing. William Butler Yeats said “a poem comes right with a click like a closing box,” and Thomas’ do just that; but in a sensual, organic way, not “mechanical” nor artificial in the least. The art of language, like the best, is totally hidden; leaving exactly the right sound and suggestion to strike the senses, mind and heart all at once.
Not rhyming nor strictly Iambic pentameter, they are all titled “SONNET WITH (ONE WORD/IMAGE) AND (ANOTHER WORD/IMAGE),” like “SONNET WITH SCHLOCK AND YONDER” and “SONNET WITH DEATH AND RED-CHECKED TABLECLOTH.” He said they were “theme and variation” on “jealous love of various kinds,” but I found them often the most precise, vivid, understandable and gracious explications of men’s jealousy of women (‘s sensuality/sexuality) I’d ever encountered. (And I’ve read A LOT on those subjects. Trust me. Freud was way off, but on generally the right track for his [highly restricted/patriarchal] era.)
A few of my (very sparse) notes: “the poet and the form – interaction, creative. -- These are terrific poems! -- Great sound. -- Sharp. -- Completions. -- Just wonderful! -- Wow. -- Like Rilke, but modern. -- Miraculous. -- Understandably opaque. -- Duluth! -- Imagination… -- Better & better! -- Such a pleasure to love someone and write about it/them/yourself so perfectly! –
Who IS this guy? Robert Thomas. What a dumb name for such a magical wordsmith!... -- Love it. No idea what it ‘means’.” etc. “The storm of noise” -- The only cliché in the book. – “p. 83 -- Infinite truth.”
You don’t need a lot of notes if the poetry is just right.
March 20, 2023
Robert Thomas is one of the most inventive and lyrically entrancing poets we have. This collection of sonnets is stunning -- full of wit, longing, surprise, and imagery that will make your heart lurch (in the best possible way). A delightful collection!
March 20, 2024
This is the first book I've read by him and loved it, didn't want it to end. Now I have to check out his other books.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews