Wrestling with Angels: New and Selected Poems, 1960-1995

James Deahl is co-publisher of Mekler & Deahl Publications and the
author of Under the Watchful Eye.

Written over a 35-year period, these poems deal with a number of themes.
The collection opens with several uncollected poems, which is
unfortunate because, although one or two of these early poems foreshadow
the brilliance to come, most clearly show the flaws that kept them out
of Beardsley’s previous books. Next come poems, drawn from his first
book, that deal with travel—England, the Swiss Alps, and Greece—and
history. While these pieces show Beardsley’s sharp eye for detail, the
most successful poems are found in the following section, which deals
with Canada—its geography, early exploration, history, and French
Catholic religious foundations. These poems are spare and tightly
focused, displaying a fine understanding of the roots of our country.
Poems such as “The Final Offering” capture the essence of
Canada—both its pain and its harsh spiritual beauty.

Beardsley shifts gears again with a series of pieces from his most
recent book. These poems capture the agony and loss that come from the
death of a marriage. Here the language is simple and unadorned, but goes
straight to the heart. Far less successful are those poems inspired by
classical music—Mahler, Strauss, Vivaldi, and Bruckner. Here the
language becomes overly wordy and stiff, proving, perhaps, that good
music does not always make good poetry.

The volume closes with a selection of new, uncollected pieces, most of
them on the theme of the Holocaust. It is not easy to write about
Auschwitz, Baden-Baden, and the six million murdered Jews. Before such
evil, what can the poet say? Again Beardsley comes through, with
sensitive poems well worth reading. This is a strong collection.