Grace and Ease

Of the incontestable reasons to choose one book, one song, one painting over another is the caprice of personal preference. There being many worthy poets available to the loquacious commentator, in the case of Marie Ponsot—who has over half a century of versifying under her belt—it was the title of her new collection that drew my gaze—Easy (Knopf). Additionally, the elegance of her response to why poetry matters is endearing:

There’s a primitive need for language that works as an instrument of discovery and relief, that can make rich the cold places of our inner worlds with the memorable tunes and dreams poems hold for us.

“Discovery and relief”—what a wonderful expression.

Here’s a poem from The Bird Catcher, her 1998 National Book Critics Circle award-winning collection.

Northampton Style

And from her new anthology:

TV, Evening News

As it turns out, the ease that the collection’s title references is more about the joyfulness and lack of pretension with which Marie Ponsot addresses her calling. The subjects, drawn from life and its labors, are another matter entirely. Still, Easy does it.