Reviews for Given Sugar, Given Salt: Poems

The average rating for Given Sugar, Given Salt: Poems based on 2 reviews is 5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2018-12-16 00:00:00 Robert Stevens There are so many feelings I have for this book, new ones with virtually every poem, but the essence of each seems to be my amazement at the way Hirshfield uses every day language and manners of speaking to express such truths of every day life. At times I felt as if she had somehow known my experiences while at others I sensed she was seeing the grand scheme for us all. Perhaps that's a bit presumptuous. If so, it would be on my part, not Hirshfield, who does not appear to make any such claims. I have marked several poems to cite in this review, too many in fact. This will be the difficult part, choosing. Rebus You work with what you are given, the red clay of grief, the black clay of stubbornness going on after. Clay that tastes of care or carelessness, clay that smells of the bottoms of rivers or dust. Each thought is a life you have lived or failed to live, each word is a dish you have eaten or left on the table. There are honeys so bitter no one would willingly choose to take them. The clay takes them: honey of weariness, honey of vanity, honey of cruelty, fear. This rebus'slip and stubbornness, bottom of river, my own consumed life' when will I learn to read it plainly, slowly, uncolored by hope or desire? Not to understand it, only to see. As water given sugar sweetens' given salt grows salty, we become our choices. Each YES, each NO continues, this one a ladder, that one an anvil or cup. The ladder leans into its darkness. The anvil leans into its silence. The cup sits empty. How can I enter this question the clay has asked? I may return to include more examples from the poetry. It's so difficult to select which one or ones mean the most to me; I have a feeling that may change over time, even each time I pick up the book. Needless to say, if you read poetry, I strongly recommend this. If you aren't sure, I suggest giving it a try.

Review # 2 was written on 2020-01-26 00:00:00 John Broussard Neither a person entirely broken nor one entirely whole can speak. In sorrow, pretend to be fearless. In happiness, tremble. I was not expecting to enjoy this collection so much. Poem after poem, Hirshfield finds wisdom in image. Her insights are often profound, sometimes comforting, and always a pleasure to read.