Gathered here: Lyric poetry from Michael Collier and Angie Trudell Vasquez
An Individual History by Michael Collier
The sixth poetry collection from for Poet Laureate of Maryland Michael Collier examines life through family. In Memory of my Mother uses a broom to literally sweep through a life and An Amicable Breakup is anything but amicable, but the words Collier uses to describe a two-sided breakup are certainly nice.
An Excerpt from The Complete Catalog of Dogs is a poem I could really sink my teeth into and shake around a bit. The line “All of them trainable, more or less” describes every dog I’ve ever owned with a little bit less on the trainable front. The poem Cyclops describes the author’s grandfather’s right eye with chilling authenticity, like Poe describing a beating heart. It chilled me to the bone.
I like poetry but some poets I like, some poets I don’t. Michael Collier is a poet I like.
Love in War Time by Angie Trudell Vasquez
Current Milwaukee resident and poet Angie Trudell Vasquez has published a nice little book featuring poems written in Seattle, Washington and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I don’t really like one section more than the other---the poet’s voice is the same in both places and that lends credibility and continuity to these poems that were written over a twelve year span.
I’ll stick with the Milwaukee section strictly because local residents will recognize some of the folks she observes, especially a certain car with loudspeakers and bumper stickers that perpetually drives around town irritating most everybody.
The sentiment of On the Bus and Taxes are both universal and human. Who remembers Falcon Hall (Bowl) on Clarke Street? The author sure does! Milwaukee Poem #2 is hope incarnate.
Milwaukee has a vibrant poetry scene and Angie Trudell Vasquez enhances the reputation of Milwaukee as a Great Place on a Great Lake.
Dan @ Central