Since the internet encourages scanning over true reading, it is more true than ever that we often take words for granted. This is a difficult environment in which to be a writer, but it is also, in a sense, a call to arms. I admire any poet who struggles to rock the reader out of a complacent relationship with words. I don’t always enjoy the work that results, but perhaps enjoyment isn’t the primary aim of such a poem.
In her clever collection, (made), poet Cara Benson writes in defense of the weary word. She plays with how poems look, how narrative is built, and how words sound, putting the reader on alert and demanding closer reading. The results are mixed, but perhaps that could be a hallmark of innovation? Check out my review on Rover for further musings.
ABBY PAIGE 