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At the Bonehouse: Poems (Volume 2)
Storytelling is integral to the culture of south Louisiana, particularly the Atchafalaya Basin, where Jack Bedell grew up. Raised, however, with a generation of south Louisianans taught to act Middle American rather than Acadian, Bedell attempts in his poetry to recapture a culture. The poems in At the Bonehouse record the successes and failures of his search to discover what shaped him.
Through his narrative poetry, Bedell provides an accurate representation of the landscape of the region and makes sense of its culture and people. His poems reflect the images and experiences common to Acadiana-saltwater marshes and cypress swamps; cleaning redfish, hunting teal, listening to the broken tones in an old oil-field worker's voice-making the region and its inhabitants accessible to a wider audience and at the same time bringing him closer to understanding himself and his heritage.
Through his narrative poetry, Bedell provides an accurate representation of the landscape of the region and makes sense of its culture and people. His poems reflect the images and experiences common to Acadiana-saltwater marshes and cypress swamps; cleaning redfish, hunting teal, listening to the broken tones in an old oil-field worker's voice-making the region and its inhabitants accessible to a wider audience and at the same time bringing him closer to understanding himself and his heritage.
- GenresPoetry
63 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 1998
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
August 11, 2018
Anyone who knows anything about me knows I love New Orleans. While I know less about the culture of the surrounding, rural areas, I am also intrigued by life in southern Louisiana overall. When I go to the used bookstore for a new collection of poetry, I look for ones by authors I know. If I can't find one, I just look for a book with intriguing topic/style.
This book stood out to me. The title intrigued me and the cover of the edition I have (the picture of a cemetery statue) also intrigued me. A review on the back said the book explored Louisiana culture. It was meant to be.
Side note -- after I finished the collection I googled Jack Bedell, and it turns out he is now the poet laureate of Louisiana -- I read that his love of the state/writing about the culture was one of the main reasons he was selected.
Alright, now for what we are all here for -- let's talk poetry!
This was Jack Bedell's first published book. The writing is straight-forward and simple, overall. These poems do not shine because of form, rhythm, or word choice. The poems that work do so because Bedell approaches topics slowly and steadily -- even those that make him uncomfortable.
This book had a difficult start for me. The poems that explore Bedell's romantic relationships did not do much for me. Some of the imagery/narrative in the poems in the first section of the book were muddled/confusing. While this occurred once or twice in other areas of the book, the topics were more intriguing and I found myself caring less. Bedell's exploration of death in the final poems of the book is what stood out to me. He discusses how difficult it was to witness/participate in certain aspects of hunting as a young boy. The real poem that stood out to me was one that detailed the childish killing of a bat entitled "Fall, Batfishing." This poem really drew me in and it was a stand out. Bedell explores his ambiguity about certain aspects of his life (i.e., death) in Louisiana while he is able to sing the praises of others. The youthful approach of the narrator in these poems really adds to that experience -- things are described with wonder/horror.
Overall, a decent early collection by the new Louisiana poet laureate!
This book stood out to me. The title intrigued me and the cover of the edition I have (the picture of a cemetery statue) also intrigued me. A review on the back said the book explored Louisiana culture. It was meant to be.
Side note -- after I finished the collection I googled Jack Bedell, and it turns out he is now the poet laureate of Louisiana -- I read that his love of the state/writing about the culture was one of the main reasons he was selected.
Alright, now for what we are all here for -- let's talk poetry!
This was Jack Bedell's first published book. The writing is straight-forward and simple, overall. These poems do not shine because of form, rhythm, or word choice. The poems that work do so because Bedell approaches topics slowly and steadily -- even those that make him uncomfortable.
This book had a difficult start for me. The poems that explore Bedell's romantic relationships did not do much for me. Some of the imagery/narrative in the poems in the first section of the book were muddled/confusing. While this occurred once or twice in other areas of the book, the topics were more intriguing and I found myself caring less. Bedell's exploration of death in the final poems of the book is what stood out to me. He discusses how difficult it was to witness/participate in certain aspects of hunting as a young boy. The real poem that stood out to me was one that detailed the childish killing of a bat entitled "Fall, Batfishing." This poem really drew me in and it was a stand out. Bedell explores his ambiguity about certain aspects of his life (i.e., death) in Louisiana while he is able to sing the praises of others. The youthful approach of the narrator in these poems really adds to that experience -- things are described with wonder/horror.
Overall, a decent early collection by the new Louisiana poet laureate!
January 30, 2023
it was so beautiful. i felt so many connections to my land and life. there are poems titled with my mother’s father’s last name, poems titled after my ancestral land, needless to say.. i cried.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews