In this Book

summary
Neck of the World is the eleventh volume in the prestigious May Swenson Poetry Award series. In it, Daniel Rzicznek offers poems that, in quick angular language, capture the natural world and at the same time extend it into a surreal vision, sometimes dream-like, sometimes dark. Alice Quinn, judge for the 2007 Swenson Award, says this of Rzicznek’s work: “Throughout, the language pulsates, always vigorous, by turns knotty and crystalline. . . . In Neck of the World, we have a poet with a striking new vision--challenging, rewarding, and bold."

Table of Contents

Cover

Cover

Title page, Copyright, Dedication

Title Page

pp. i-iii

CONTENTS

pp. vii-viii

Copyright

pp. iv-iv

Acknowledgments

pp. ix-x

Dedication

pp. v-v

Foreword by Alice Quinn

pp. xi-xii

ONE

pp. 3-20

Acknowledgments

pp. ix-x

Speakmaple

pp. 5

Foreword

pp. xi-xii

A Mouthful of Crickets

pp. 6

Colphon

pp. 1-2

A Bear in His Madness

pp. 7

Part 1

pp. 3-3

Happy

pp. 8

Chapter 1

pp. 4-5

Within Within

pp. 9

Chapter 2

pp. 6-6

Winnowing

pp. 10

Chapter 3

pp. 7-7

Neck of the Woods

pp. 11

Chapter 4

pp. 8-8

Dreamer in Winter

pp. 12

Chapter 5

pp. 9-9

Donnybrook

pp. 13

Chapter 6

pp. 10-10

Vows of Babel

pp. 14

Chapter 7

pp. 11-11

Stormdweller

pp. 15

Chapter 8

pp. 12-12

Toyhouse

pp. 16

Chapter 9

pp. 13-13

Grackles

pp. 17

Chapter 10

pp. 14-14

Silence Journal

pp. 18

Chapter 11

pp. 15-15

During Fever

pp. 19

Chapter 12

pp. 16-16

Blood Realm

pp. 20

Chapter 13

pp. 17-17

TWO

pp. 21-37

Chapter 14

pp. 18-18

Genius of Frogs

pp. 23

Chapter 15

pp. 19-19

Hibernacula

pp. 24

Chapter 16

pp. 20-20

Outside the Horse

pp. 25

Part 2

pp. 21-21

Prayer for Fall

pp. 26

Chapter 17

pp. 22-23

Thieves

pp. 27

Chapter 18

pp. 24-24

Dust Merchant

pp. 28

Chapter 19

pp. 25-25

Raker

pp. 29

Chapter 20

pp. 26-26

Sycamore

pp. 30

Chapter 21

pp. 27-27

Rainlegs

pp. 31

Chapter 22

pp. 28-28

Book of Letters Reversed

pp. 32

Chapter 23

pp. 29-29

Ten Cents Worth of Fog

pp. 33

Chapter 24

pp. 30-30

North of North

pp. 34

Chapter 25

pp. 31-31

Fishkill

pp. 35

Chapter 26

pp. 32-32

Primer

pp. 36

Chapter 27

pp. 33-33

Radio

pp. 37

Chapter 28

pp. 34-34

THREE

pp. 39-57

Chapter 29

pp. 35-35

Helmet in the Glade

pp. 41

Chapter 30

pp. 36-36

Foglifter

pp. 42

Chapter 31

pp. 37-37

Where Your Victory

pp. 43

Part 3

pp. 39-39

Nightyard

pp. 44

Chapter 32

pp. 40-41

First Lady

pp. 45

Chapter 33

pp. 42-42

Cathode

pp. 46

Chapter 34

pp. 43-43

Host

pp. 47

Chapter 35

pp. 44-44

Neck of the World

pp. 48

Chapter 36

pp. 45-45

Hooded Merganser

pp. 49

Chapter 37

pp. 46-46

Bait

pp. 50

Chapter 38

pp. 47-47

Tickets for a Fire

pp. 51

Chapter 39

pp. 48-48

Returning the Ghost

pp. 52

Chapter 40

pp. 49-49

Crested Daughter

pp. 53

Chapter 41

pp. 50-50

Decomp

pp. 54

Chapter 42

pp. 51-51

Mane and Claw

pp. 55

Chapter 43

pp. 52-52

Human

pp. 56

Chapter 44

pp. 53-53

Astral

pp. 57

Chapter 45

pp. 54-54

Notes

pp. 58

Chapter 46

pp. 55-55

Chapter 47

pp. 56-56

Chapter 48

pp. 57-57

Notes

pp. 58-58

About the Author

pp. 59-59

The May Swenson Poetry Award

pp. 60-60
Back To Top