The Strange Years of My Life

Despite the book’s title, these poems are rarely autobiographical and have few straightforward stories to tell. They puzzle over accidents, coincidences, and codes, as they describe journeys and wonders, edging towards a sense of the world’s curious strangeness, the complications of what we call history, the contretemps of geography. The poems belong to a hemisphere of the imagination that encompasses the narratives of 19th-century travelers and 20th-century anthropologists, spy movies, astronomical lore, the writings of Saint-John Perse and Henri Michaux, and the music of Erik Satie. They balance on the edge between concealment and revelation, between fascination and comprehension. For these poems, every sentence is a kind of translation, and language is a series of riddles with no solutions, subtly humorous at one phrase, sinister at another, heartbroken at the next.

Review

“It is fine, sensitive, fastidious… Some pieces are spare and surgical. Some initiate conversations that would be better finished off-page and in the company of friends and a lot of wine.”
-Anu Lakhan

The Strange Years of My Life

 

The Book Yard Book Shelf

Recent Posts

Selective Statistics and Convenient Storytelling Do Not Make an Economic Success Story

When governments selectively highlight numbers, hide methodology changes, or use seasonal fluctuations to create the illusion of success, the public… Read More

13 hours ago

At the Crossroads Again: Why Saint Lucia Must Choose Progress Over Partisan Reflex:

Caribbean electorates often vote governments out due to frustration.. Read More

18 hours ago

Open Letter to Ministry of Education

Were school kids used as SLP cheerleaders? Read More

20 hours ago

Is St. Lucia’s Miami-based Consul General Another Casualty of the Silly Season?

For certain lucky Looshans, Coral Gables is a home away from home! Read More

1 week ago

When it comes to keeping us safe from imagined disasters PJP is still our safest bet!

For those who can only talk about who I horn or who horn me, if you wish to make that… Read More

1 week ago

Was St. Jude Handing Over Ceremony Based On the OKEU story?

Kenny Anthony described the new St Jude as Saint Lucia’s most expensive unfinished project! Read More

1 week ago

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. No personally identifiable information is stored.