Comments on: Forms of Intercession by Jayne Pupek

By: LouAnn Muhm

LouAnn Muhm — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 02:00:27 +0000

I did intend the “not” in that sentence. The difficult subjects are so graphically and clearly delineated that looking directly at them (i.e. reading them) is difficult. I found myself wanting to turn away, to close the book, to cover my eyes. But I wanted to be clear in the review that it was the excellence of the writing that created this effect, and not a fault in the writing. Poems written less clearly would be easier to take, though less honest. These poems took courage to write, and I found that I needed courage to read them.

By: Ike

Ike — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 00:53:34 +0000

True poetry is incapable of disregarding any subject or realistic viewpoint. I must ask, however, if the reviewer meant to include the word “not” in: “And yet write them down she does, with a fierce clarity that makes it difficult for the reader not to turn away.” I take it to mean that the reader finds it easy to not read Pupek’s poems.

By: Britt

Britt — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 15:26:54 +0000

After reading this, I have to ask myself: “Would I really want to subject myself to these horrors, however eloquent they may be?” As an avid reader of Plath and Aiken, I would have to say: Yes, indeed. Thank you for for an honest and illuminating review.