In this Book
- Sea Room
- Book
- 1990
- Published by: Wesleyan University Press
summary
Sea Room is a navigational term meaning adequate space at sea in which to maneuver a ship. The term seems an incongruity – that something so open and deep should require such precise and careful charting. In these most specific and powerful poems, the poet maps areas of obsessive love, phobic illness, godlessness, the prism of sexuality and romantic instinct in which all things are reflected, distorted.
There’s a playful terror in Maria Flook’s poems. Her animated word is full of signs and signals; she always finds the telling analogue or makes the figure which reveals, illuminated everyday perceptions. “Dreams have cruel motives. Sleep worries/ both the decent and the wicked/ who keep odd hours/ so I walked out.”
The poems search for reprieve, or a calm, in wronged lives. Any accusations are fully explored, recalled in forgiveness or apology for relationships long over.
There’s a playful terror in Maria Flook’s poems. Her animated word is full of signs and signals; she always finds the telling analogue or makes the figure which reveals, illuminated everyday perceptions. “Dreams have cruel motives. Sleep worries/ both the decent and the wicked/ who keep odd hours/ so I walked out.”
The poems search for reprieve, or a calm, in wronged lives. Any accusations are fully explored, recalled in forgiveness or apology for relationships long over.
Table of Contents
Download Full Book
- One
- Woodpecker
- p. 6
- The Continental Divide
- pp. 8-9
- Against Spring
- pp. 10-11
- Child Burial
- p. 12
- The Beautiful Illness
- pp. 13-14
- The Wilmington Courthouse
- pp. 15-16
- The Sapling
- pp. 17-18
- July 9th, Lying-in
- p. 19
- Signature Music
- p. 21
- Two
- A Seaside Moon
- pp. 25-26
- The Improper Persons
- pp. 27-28
- On Massachusetts Avenue
- pp. 29-30
- Useless Days
- pp. 34-35
- Current Diaries
- pp. 38-39
- Three
- With My First Husband
- pp. 44-45
- The Riders
- pp. 47-48
- Drugstore with Black Dolls
- pp. 49-48
- Church Work
- p. 51
- The Voice Lesson
- pp. 56-57
- Ball of String
- pp. 59-60
Additional Information
ISBN
9780819572004
Related ISBN(s)
9780819521835
MARC Record
OCLC
728268083
Pages
70
Launched on MUSE
2012-01-01
Language
English
Open Access
No