Ghostword

by Crisosto Apache

Crisosto Apache draws powerfully on his Mescalero Apache language and culture and, guided along the way by touchstone sparks from the Japanese writer Akutagawa Ryunosuke, creates a singular journey out of “emotional burial and systemic abuse.” Where Akutagawa encounters erasure, “Gazing up at them everything was forgotten,” in Crisosto Apache’s hands, everything is remembered and confronted, and, though filled with ash, these poems are testament to struggle, survival, and, x, the mysterious light of existence. —Arthur Sze author of The Glass Constellation

A powerful personal journey of reflection and response. In lyric vignettes inspired by Akutagawa Ryunosuke’s A Fool’s Life, Crisosto Apache creates an original portrait of a mythic and myth-making protagonist confronting the memories, language, and figures that haunt and inhabit his Ghostword – a stunning collection. – Chip Livingston author of Crow-Blue, Crow-Black, and Museum of False Starts

Genres: Poetry

83 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2022

Reviews

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Crisosto Apache’s Ghostword is a powerful and reflective collection that explores memory, identity, and survival with lyrical depth. The influence of Akutagawa Ryunosuke is present, yet the voice remains original and compelling.