A Pair of Scissors

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

Sharon Thesen’s poetry is as sharp as the title of her latest
collection. Twice shortlisted for the Governor General’s Award for
poetry, Thesen continues to strive for excellence. Her use of language,
rhythm, and enjambment all speak to her poetic prowess. In Thesen’s
world, shadows cut, clouds are cigarette ash, bank machines are urinals,
and televisions inspire fear and death and sympathy for the landscape.
The poet takes us with her onto planes, into restaurants, waiting rooms,
and cafés. The reader watches Bellini and Jurassic Park through
Thesen’s poetry, reads Lessing and The New Yorker with her, and
watches the motion of her dog’s hips with her. In Thesen’s world,
everything is an occasion for poetry.

The title poem is a cut-and-paste of life in 20 parts. A quote from
Pablo Neruda offers some context: “Time cannot be cut / With your
exhausted scissors / And all the names of the day / Are washed out in
the waters of the night.” “Mr. Walsh” and “Mrs. Dalloway” make
appearances among zen pandas, crystal dolphins, fat bees, mythic figures
like Sisyphus, and legendary ones like Jackie O. Patterns echo through
the poem, resulting in a lovely alchemy of word and thought and meaning.
Highly recommended for poetry collections.