Wresting the Grace of the World

Sheila Martindale is poetry editor of Canadian Author and Bookman and
the author of No Greater Love.

This exquisite little volume of poems is a joy from start to finish. Not
that the subject matter is particularly joyful—but the poet’s
artistry engages the reader on every page. The first section, “Sacred
Disasters,” searches spiritual dimensions in the natural world and via
relationships. From “Gluttons, the Stars” comes this gem: “They
suck energy, swallow / galaxies; they’re indiscriminate / in their
feeding / Not so different from you / the stars / Except what you draw /
is the love that you’re given / and you don’t give back light.”

The middle section, “The Burrs of Paradise,” is a long poem about
the demise of a relationship; it is beautifully cohesive and moving.
Though it is hard to excerpt without spoiling the flow, this bit can
stand alone: “He wears the chip on his shoulder / proudly, like an
epaulette / He’s angry / and she’d better know it.”

The final part, “The Persistence of Vision,” uses photography as a
metaphor for love; it is full of wonderful images that touch the heart
and stimulate the imagination.

Every once in a while you come across a book of poems that delights all
the senses and satisfies the intellect at the same time. Wresting the
Grace of the World is such a book. It deserves to be read and reread by
those who appreciate poetry—and by those who don’t.