WEDNESDAYS WITH DENISE: September 27, 2023

Today I wanted to give a shout out to The Unsung Masters Series, which brings forgotten poets to a whole new audience. The most recent volume is about Bert Meyers (1928-1979), a poet new to me. Edited by Dana Levin and Adele Williams, the book reprints poems from Meyers’ out-of-print volumes alongside commentary by critics, former students, colleagues, and his son. I’ve underlined so many passages in my copy, but thought I’d make my case for his genius by simply showing you some of his images about the moon:

We live in pain,

The moon’s an aspirin.

(from “Madman Songs”)

 

The moon, a giant freezer, hummed.

(from “The Old Engraver”)

 

…the moon’s been reached.

A few astonished flies

wrinkle the dust on its face.

(from “These Days”)

 

The moon’s a little goat

over there on the hill…

(from “Daybreak”)

 

…the moon has a dirty face

the stars are broken glass

in a dark and empty street

(from “Without a Chance”)

 

…at night the earth’s a woman,

the full moon’s her mirror.

(from “Images”)

 

You can find more information about the book and about Bert Meyers here:

 

https://www.bertmeyers.com/about

 

Comments

[David Lehman]

Wonderful post. Thank you, Denise. Amy Gestler, who studied with Bert, has also written about his work.

[Judy Ireland]

Thank you, Denise! I love discovering new, old poets, and I look forward to reading this book.

[Dana Levin]

Thank you, Denise!