A Geography of Souls

Melanie Marttila is a Sudbury-based freelance writer and writing
consultant.

In her latest poetry collection, Kathleen McCracken uses the places and
sights of friendly and foreign lands as metaphors for emotions,
relationships, and revelations. Sometimes the poet’s metaphors work in
reverse: “The breathing of horses is its own continent.” Sometimes
the land, sea, or some other feature is personified and has its own
revelations. In “A Tree Asleep at the Center of a Field,” the
subject of the poem “dreams of peripheries—a new post / on the
river’s collarbone with no / visible means of support.”

That the “world started running / in the opposite direction” or a
“continent … dreamed itself / into existence” seem to be perfect
ways of describing a time or place. In fact, the reader may not even
notice McCracken’s elegant figures and tropes. The overall meaning of
her poems comes through organically; in the process of their enjoyment,
the moment of revelation and understanding simply occur.

The poet’s geography is not limited to land or sea, but includes the
people and animals that populate the world, as well as family, history,
love, and death. Though McCracken’s poetry is demanding, the rewards
are very much worth the effort. Like a well-brewed cup of chai tea, her
words are spicy and exotic, but they are also quietly comforting and
ultimately satisfying. A Geography of Souls is highly recommended for
both libraries and personal poetry collections.