In this Book
- allegiance
- Book
- 2012
- Published by: Wayne State University Press
summary
The full-length debut from francine j. harris, allegiance is about Detroit, sort of. Although many of the poems are inspired by and dwell in the spaces of the city, this collection does not revel in any of the cliché cultural tropes normally associated with Detroit. Instead, these poems artfully explore life in a city where order coexists with chaos and much is lost in social and physical breakdown. Narrative poems on the hazards, betrayals, and annoyances of city life mix with impressionistic poems that evoke the natural world, as harris grapples with issues of beauty and horror, loyalty and individuality, and memory and loss on Detroit’s complicated canvas.
In twelve sections, harris introduces readers to loungers and bystanders, prisoners’ wives, poets pictured on book jackets, Caravaggio’s Jesus, and city priests. She leads readers past the lone house on the block that cannot be walked down, through layers of discarded objects in the high school yard, and into various classrooms, bars, and living rooms. Shorter poems highlight the persistence of nature—in water, weeds, orchids, begonias, insects, pigeons, and pheasants. Some poems convey a sense of the underbelly, desire, and disgust while others treat issues of religion, both in institutional settings and personal prayers. In her honest but unsentimental voice, harris layers personal history and rich details to explore how our surroundings shape our selves and what allegiance we owe them when they have turn almost everything to ashes.
Throughout allegiance, harris presents herself as an extraordinarily perceptive poet with a compelling and original voice. Poetry lovers will appreciate this exciting debut collection.
Table of Contents
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- jumping in
- pp. 1-7
- costume jewelry
- p. 6
- i live in detroit
- pp. 7-18
- when it’s time to move
- footing, off guard
- pp. 14-15
- flashes—cyan / magenta / yellow
- pp. 16-18
- build us a jesus
- pp. 19-31
- would like to first thank god
- pp. 21-22
- another finger for the wound
- pp. 23-25
- the splashing of the bush
- pp. 26-31
- confessional poetry
- p. 35
- why i haven’t written
- pp. 42-43
- i used to write
- p. 44
- wear metal
- pp. 45-53
- you, old meany
- pp. 52-53
- three feet of personal space
- pp. 55-60
- one’s nature
- p. 57
- to the man on the bus
- pp. 58-59
- crooked teeth
- pp. 61-65
- never had to use a gun
- pp. 67-75
- from the bottom
- pp. 70-71
- the road to jackson has orchids
- pp. 72-73
- rub against it, where
- pp. 74-75
- sit with you all night
- pp. 77-89
- midday nap
- p. 79
- until it comes
- pp. 82-83
- parturient
- pp. 85-86
- they seem to gather in one park
- pp. 87-88
- between old trees
- p. 89
- addicted to addict
- pp. 91-101
- dickhole and denise
- pp. 93-94
- in case there’s trouble
- pp. 103-110
- blues for a mania
- p. 105
- red is the mess
- pp. 106-107
- allegiance
- pp. 113-114
- Acknowledgments
- p. 115
Additional Information
ISBN
9780814336199
Related ISBN(s)
9780814336182
MARC Record
OCLC
778704198
Pages
112
Launched on MUSE
2012-06-26
Language
English
Open Access
No