A Grass Pillow

Betsy Nuse, the former owner of Boudicca Books, is a Vancouver poet,
writer, and editor.

A Grass Pillow is a well-crafted and substantial book. Lush’s eye and descriptive language make even his short poems rich. The most powerful pieces in the book result when other senses and emotions are also engaged in the poetic process. For example, in “The Problem of Her Side,” sound and touch reinforce the speaker’s need to shake loose of thoughts and drift into sleep. In “Assateague,” all the senses ground the ineffable experiences of sunset and self-containment.

The five sections of the book differ in setting, tone, and slightly in style. In the first section, tight packages of words describe rainy early winter days in New York City. In the second, there are freer lines about California, and in the third, fanciful images describe wilderness places like an alpine meadow or the Pacific shore.

The poems treat a wide range of human interactions: the sexual intimacy of lovers (“Midnight”), a dramatic encounter with strangers (“Close to Home”), communication across cultures without a common language (“Market Morning”). Overall, the voice of the book is open and sympathetic. This kind mindfulness is well reflected in the final suite of poems, “A Yellow Light in Guatemala,” describing the points of meaningful contact between the poet and the strange small towns and countryside of Guatemala.

There are few flashy overstatements or theatrical effects in these pages. Lush’s syntax is clear, but because his sentences are complex and his words well-chosen, the poems benefit from re-reading. These are “classical” modern poems — felt but crafted, wistful and formal yet genuine.