Fire to Fire
by Mark Doty
Finished a book of poetry called Fire to Fire written by Mark Doty.
The book contains selected poems from previously released publications. Some
of his work is set only blocks away from NYU, some in Houston, and some in ancient
times. His style is simplistic with
understandable descriptors (i.e., not flowery language). It is like having the guy next door share
thoughts on areas such as defining beauty, hanging at the corner diner (21st
and 3rd avenue), the burning of a gorgeous home in Jersey City, a
local theatre house, and love. I
especially enjoyed his poem on being aboard a plane about to make an emergency
landing (appearing to crash) and what the moments were like for him and his
partner. Doty, a gay male, offers some perspective
on how vulnerable one can feel searching for love in a society not always understanding
of same-sex relationships. His poems are
short and I recommend you take your time as reading such prose is, not
only impressive, but a lost art today.
There are few contemporary poets who can describe visiting a gym as
eloquently as he can (funny because I was reading the poem At the Gym at the gym this morning!) He captured it perfectly. Not a hug fan of poetry as I still remember taking
a poetry class my junior year and never finding the depth I was expected to in the poems, but this is a good read.
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