Comments on: Columbarium http://www.constantcritic.com/ray_mcdaniel/columbarium/ Timely poetry reviews Sat, 07 Aug 2010 11:09:57 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Louise Mathias http://www.constantcritic.com/ray_mcdaniel/columbarium/comment-page-1/#comment-91 Louise Mathias Thu, 19 Aug 2004 08:01:00 +0000 http://www.constantcritic.test/ray_mcdaniel/columbarium#comment-91 An arresting, intelligent review--<br> You touch lightly on issues of the sort of enigmatic sensuality in her work that I think also parallel Carson, so they are alike in more ways than lack of cover jacket photo. I think this is part of what makes the work intimate enough to be compelling while very definately not being narcissistic or self involved. Yeah, she's brainy, and like Carson, I feel like I'm looking at her grey matter and thinking, oh, those ridges and tunnels-- I mean, you want to run your fingers through them-- her intellect is of this sort of quality that feels very much grounded in the body, somehow. An arresting, intelligent review–
You touch lightly on issues of the sort of enigmatic sensuality in her work that I think also parallel Carson, so they are alike in more ways than lack of cover jacket photo. I think this is part of what makes the work intimate enough to be compelling while very definately not being narcissistic or self involved. Yeah, she’s brainy, and like Carson, I feel like I’m looking at her grey matter and thinking, oh, those ridges and tunnels– I mean, you want to run your fingers through them– her intellect is of this sort of quality that feels very much grounded in the body, somehow.

]]> By: Susan Denning http://www.constantcritic.com/ray_mcdaniel/columbarium/comment-page-1/#comment-90 Susan Denning Fri, 10 Oct 2003 18:50:00 +0000 http://www.constantcritic.test/ray_mcdaniel/columbarium#comment-90 I enjoyed Ray McDaniel's review of Columbarium - I am a Susan Stewart fan from way back. <br> <br> However, I think ERASURE is not the imporant thing. I think what the erasure is being replaced by is what makes poetry like this compelling - and why contemporary poetry often falls short of the mark.<br> <br> Also I would disagree that the climate is DOMINATED by poets who want to win at show and tell. I think the current culture is yes dominated by that - but the poetic culture seems to be involved in a kind of tug or war between witness to personal experience on the one hand and witness to personal erasure on the other (I know,I know, news flash!)..<br> <br> So I don't think you would praise someone just because they take themselves out of the equation.<br> <br> Which is not, even, what I think Ray was doing. <br> <br> so at this point... I'm just rambling.<br> <br> anyway - I enjoyed the review! Don't make fun of me, I wrote this on my lunch hour.<br> <br> Best,<br> Susan Denning I enjoyed Ray McDaniel’s review of Columbarium – I am a Susan Stewart fan from way back.

However, I think ERASURE is not the imporant thing. I think what the erasure is being replaced by is what makes poetry like this compelling – and why contemporary poetry often falls short of the mark.

Also I would disagree that the climate is DOMINATED by poets who want to win at show and tell. I think the current culture is yes dominated by that – but the poetic culture seems to be involved in a kind of tug or war between witness to personal experience on the one hand and witness to personal erasure on the other (I know,I know, news flash!)..

So I don’t think you would praise someone just because they take themselves out of the equation.

Which is not, even, what I think Ray was doing.

so at this point… I’m just rambling.

anyway – I enjoyed the review! Don’t make fun of me, I wrote this on my lunch hour.

Best,
Susan Denning

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