Ireland (Loners and Mothers) deftly balances conventional poetic form with complex, idiosyncratic topics in his second collection of poems. In the opening dedication, Ireland introduces his work as being “for all the carriers of light,” an apt invitation as each of this volume’s sections reflects and refracts a variety of emotions and topics connected to concepts of light and dark. Within that framework, poems here offer electric descriptions of outer space, ruminations about academia, and heartfelt reflections on motherhood. While his topics are varied, Ireland utilizes rhythm and rhyme via sonnets, limericks, and other forms to weave this collection together.Like a pastel sky shifting to twilight or dawn, these poems are layered--light shines through darkness, and dark hides beneath light. These “light[s] and dark[s]” are sometimes literal and sometimes symbolic. Ireland often complicates what these opposite forces usually represent; in “Chinese Box,” for example, darkness provides safety and comfort, as a way to hide trauma: “Put bad memories in a box, / And lock it with a hundred locks, / Then stuff it deep in a trap-door safe / That not a soul, not even you, / Knows the combination to. / Then leave the room, and lock that, too.” The emotional darkness of a cemetery is painted in a surprisingly light, celebratory tone in “May Day:” “Such celebration is there round his grave! / The birds are singing, a cacophony / Of different keys. The wind is like a wave, / And all the flowers are tossing in its sea.” While there is ample beauty and sophistication in these symbolic depictions, Ireland’s skill also shines in his poetic portraits of famous figures such as Heath Ledger, Neil Armstrong, and the fictional Nurse Ratched.
Ireland recognizes that we live in a complex world. Through their moments of beauty and pain, his poems remind us that “Not even the universe is eternal. / But isn't it close enough?”
Takeaway: Dreamy descriptions of the natural world, with a tight command of rhythm and rhyme.
Great for fans of: Gregory Orr, Richard Wilbur, C.R. Schwab.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
This collection has a welcoming folkishness about it, sardonic phrasing, grit, gusto, and some really scary humor.
Ireland employs traditional techniques which give a restrained, refined stateliness to his lines that recalls Robert Frost. A brooding, ironic mood characterizes many pieces…. At their best, these poems offer atmospheric images that gain effect from Ireland’s mastery of technique.
The imagery in so many of these poems is fantastic. This book is a wonderful addition to the world of poetry, and a unique glimpse into a unique voice.
