Friday, June 4, 2021

"Index of Women" by Amy Gerstler (Penguin Poets) 2021

 

ISBN: 9780143136217

Amy Gerstler is the perfect cocktail of literary essence. Her poetry is like the most delicious plate of ice cream, but it never leaves you with a stomach ache or regret for overeating. It's a perfectly placed series of images, language that plays with each other, as well as a narration (in the prose) poetry that is genuinely moving. "Letters From a Lost Doll" is based on correspondence by Kafka to a little girl who lost her doll. Kafka told the little girl that the doll is not lost but just traveling. So, he sent letters to her as if the doll was dropping communication throughout her travels. Gerstler does the same in her version, and it's a remarkable presence of an object (doll) communicating with life. "Index of Women" has no weak points. Every poem fits into the picture, and it's a beautiful puzzle.

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