When I decided to read a poetry volume every day in April for National Poetry Month, I knew I may be setting myself up for failure. Though the books are thin, I don’t recommend racing through them in an hour. Poetry typically demands a slower pace.
So I was petty pleased when I realized I was actually getting more enjoyment out of Ian Kahl’s “anxiety is a rambling dagger” (2012) when I was reading quickly.
The collection of poems deals with mental illness and Kahl’s experience with it. Kahl revisits themes of nature and systems and frequently plays with language that reference apparel. Circular thinking and death are also key themes.
Mental illness often doesn’t make sense, and slowing down to puzzle over it doesn’t always get you anywhere; you either get it or you don’t. For that reason, reading quickly worked for me for this book, I think. I didn’t *get* every poem — I think that’s going to be impossible with this project — but the ones that landed were powerful.
Having just watched “Tiger King” on Netflix, Kahl’s poem “silverback of environment” was a particular favorite for this line:
“I can not ever tell if we are in a battle to the death or flowing in a dance of mutual admiration.”
The line breaks were different of course but I don’t know what I am doing yet with Substack so can’t adequately represent them.
Book one down! On to the next.