Putting the “I” in Introspection
Introspection is one of the key elements of growing up and moving forward. Though the process can be anywhere from melancholy to enlightening, the importance is in the journey. Coming just in time for National Poetry Month, these collections shed light on the themes that come with understanding one’s self, each in its own unique voice and perspective.
Hermit’s Guide to Home Economics by Robert Lax
New Directions Publishing
After venturing to the Greek Island of Patmos, away from society and away from the noise of the world, Robert Lax turned his experience into a collection of poetry. From humor to stunning candor, Lax’s unique voice explores his surroundings as he is seeing them, and letting us into the mind of a hermit at heart.
The Zoo, a Going by J. A. Tyler
Dzanc Books
This hybrid publication of short story, novel, and prose poetry turns a typical family trip to the zoo into a serious introspective piece. The Zoo, a Going prompts one child to analyze his family relationships and dynamic, as he realizes only a handful of years separates the simplicity of childhood from the raw challenges of adulthood. Tackling morality and self-identity, Tyler uses the imaginative mind of a child to process these major life themes.
The Crossing by Jonathan Fink
Dzanc Books
In formal and free-verse poetry, Jonathan Fink pours his stories onto the page. Personal pieces, with himself as the subject, and pieces that tell the stories of others come together to form a collection of intelligent poems, both revealing of the individual self and the larger social picture in which we live.
Conversations I’ve Never Had by Caitlin Maling
Fremantle Press
Caitlin Maling paints the landscape of Australia with beautiful poetry in her debut collection, Conversations I’ve Never Had. Her colorful writing shows what life was like growing up in Australia against a backdrop of natural beauty and mystery. This backdrop had a significant influence on Maling’s early adulthood years, and she shows this through a powerful narrative.
