Crows Do Not Have Retirement

Susan McKnight is an administrator of the Courts Technology Integrated Justice Project at the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General.

David Zieroth has a unique storytelling style that reads more like prose
than like poetry. Each poem is a narrative that flows quickly and
smoothly, pulling the reader along with little effort. His doubts and
fears are clearly and unashamedly laid out, forcing the reader to look
at his or her own “predicament” more critically. His honesty is
impressive. Through his questioning of everyday occurrences, he manages
to present his journey of self-discovery in the universe.

The collection begins with his recounting of his first
job—“disposing” of unwanted kittens on the farm. This terrible
experience leads him to a better understanding of his parents. The
voyage through his own life, which is presented in five sections, then
begins. In the first section, “Ghosts,” he questions the origins of
his soul, comments on man giving up hope that he contains a spark of the
divine, and introduces the “sounds like” device. The three ideas in
“Ghosts” flow through the next four sections in some form or
another.

The section “Ravine I” contains dream sequences, the most
compelling of which is “Method.” In this poem, he warns off the
weaker readers near the beginning, cautioning those who stay that
they’ve “given up the right / to speak against / the soft-sentence
version / of what is felt.” This direct link to the reader continues
throughout this powerful “tour” of his life. “Ravine II”
continues in dream mode, but each dream relates to the reality of human
existence. “Ravine III” is a more philosophic approach to the
question of how he should continue with his life, starting with the poem
“How to Begin” through to “Why Wait?” The final section,
“Prayers,” is mainly concerned with the death of a friend, which
leads him to “The Options” we have when we die.

Zieroth’s poems are flowing, intelligent, thought-provoking
commentaries on human existence, with just enough subtle humor to keep
them fresh and vital.