Lucas’s Reviews > Poetry Is Not a Luxury: Poems for All Seasons > Status Update

I know I wrote about it before, but page 41’s “This Morning” by Hannah Bonner just opens me up. Something about it… I find myself drawn to these shorter poems when I usually write such maximalist poetry. I want to learn and train in the way of the punch. The minimalistic, power-packed, pinch-sized poems… I really would love to keep working at refining my ability in writing similar things.

visual and internal. I wonder if (kindness) was needed in the penultimate line, but perhaps it was. The more and more I think about it, the more I believe it is.

I really enjoyed “Passage” on page 43. The beginning three lines and the final three lines are subjectively perfect and resonate very clearly in my mind.

“Why Did It” is just harrowingly relatable. Simplistic, but truthful. Page 42.

I’ve read a few poems at a time since last logging, but not too many. Working my way backwards, the poem on page 47 that I just read, had me go “Ohhhhhh,” when it clicked (quickly, but I still had the “click” moment). I really appreciate the Japanese simplicity to it. The final two stanzas of the poem on page 46 struck me. A strong blurry image and a haunting realization.

I wet my eyes to “When You Go” on page 40.

Found myself in love with the imagery and simplicity and line breaks and style of “Going Home” on page 39.

And really enjoyed the flow of “Against Nostalgia” on page 39. A human message.

As though
In a world like this
Love starts over and over again

I take this to mean in this fallen world, Love is not infinite to us finite beings. Yet it is infinite, we just have to continually restart it from our perspectives. We must renew it. Both our love for others, and our love for God. The author reconciles with his humanity and his feeling, and communicates he understands the key to defeating doubt is love.

“Sunday” on page 33. I re-read it. It speaks to me. A man of faith, and the ocean. Thinking of swimming out into the sea for miles and miles in prayer, and of never struggling back in doubt.

This shows me a man wrestling with doubt, wanting to commit himself fully to faith. In a sense, a romanization of death, a last act of faith to be free of doubt.

The final stanza I find more elusive.

“Tender” was incredibly sad. “Ode” was wonderful. Others didn’t speak to me as I’m sure they speak to others.

I quite enjoyed “Starlings” and “Sunday.”

I find myself returning to the very first poem in this collection, “One Heart.” I’ve fallen in love with it and my interpretation of it, and I believe I will carry it with me for quite some time.

I appreciate these. Inspiring. “43” was quite nice. I enjoyed and related to the mental imagery of “Jupiter.”

“At a Waterfall, Reykjavik” on page 22 inspired me to write a poem that just flew

I called it: “Twilight Confession” pulls apart how I feel this summer… at least an aspect of how I feel

“Lovable” on page 16 hit more reading again after a few days, since I forgot to log it.

I really really really enjoy “Tired of Love Poems” on the following page. “What we tire of is that we never tire of it.” Beautiful and true.