WEE reviews April 26, 2006

Pangur Bán trans. by Seamus Heaney

Julie: It's a charming but slight traditional Irish poem. I like how this translated poem seems to be about translating something. Not much else to say.

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Terracotta by James Grinwis

Julie: I have to say that while I'm not blown away by James Grinwis, dude is never boring. Today's poem is very appealing to me with its piling up of off images, though I think the final simile of a siren twirling "like a kicked fruitcake" is just terrible.

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Testament by Megan Gannon

Julie: The first 8 lines are throat-clearing. I don't want to suggest rewrites for these poems. They are done, complete, not posted in a workshop, but damn. I'd cut those lines and start in with

You are learning

backwards. There's hardly time.

Those lines would have pulled me in. The current opening pushed me away.