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POETRY | THE POEMS OF KATHA POLLITT







★★★☆☆
First published in 1972, with reprints through the following decade, this collection, perhaps surprisingly, has very little to do with the Antarctic (though a few poems do have literal Arctic themes). What this book does feature is Pollitt covering the idea of travel in broad terms, as well as connected sensations such as awe and yearning. Through it all, she also slips in nods to her deep love and appreciation for art and nature... and the art in nature! 



The collection breaks down into three segments (her actual titles below, btw):

Part 1: Untitled
Part 2: Five Poems From Japanese Paintings
Part 3: Vegetable Poems



Note: Once you get to Part 3's Vegetable Poems, very few in this section have actual food themes to them.

Some of the poems look into contemplative moments spurred by the weather, nature, environment in general... while others dip into topics of history and philosophy (here and there a shout-out to Plutarch and Horace, for example). She also makes space to show love for her hometown of New York City.



Pollitt's tendency to approach her themes / topics in a figurative sense can be a tad aggravating if you're a more literal-minded reader. But even so, some of her analogies here deserve some appreciation for how surprisingly spot-on they create an image, weird though they may be. An example, her comparison of wild nettles in the garden and neighbors:

Like neighbors not invited to the wedding, they show up anyway: fat stalks... dull, hardy leaves... ugly, but tenacious, they make themselves useful. 
LOL.



★★★1/2
Pollitt's collection here runs the gamut from references to Jane Austen to new motherhood to thrift store shopping!





The opening of "Mandarin Oranges" gave me a laugh -- the bit about "smacked of bribery" -- but I also like the line towards the end: "we can't keep faith with the past" ... and how the rest goes on to reference how we tend to glamorize and soften the reality of our memories / past experiences. Something to think about for sure. 





There's quite a bit here on the topic of faith. In fact, in this book Pollitt includes a whole grouping of nine interconnected poems all inspired by biblical text.

Other topics covered include appreciation for classic literature; scenes unique to a writer's life; and things that get you thinking simply by going for a walk, people-watching out your window, or observing the change of the seasons. 





The rhythm and imagery of this collection spoke to me much stronger than Pollitt's earlier poetry in Antarctic Traveller. 
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