Yesterday Graywolf Press published Hold Everything by Dobby Gibson. When I first read the book’s title I thought it referenced the movie of the same name from the 1920s which featured one of my favorite songs ”You’re the Cream in My Coffee.”
While I was wrong, the book does have a wonderful coffee connection. The title poem is a stunning sonnet sequence, each of which was drafted during the time it took Gibson to finish a cup of coffee. There is a breeziness, a caffeinated energy, as the poet engages with the pandemic, the frightening world news, and the death of his friend Dean Young. The quick-witted voice never sacrifices the close attention to image, the wisdom in zooming out to see the big picture. Here’s an example:
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2024/09/02/poem-never-to-be-read-aloud-dobby-gibson-poem
Congratulations, Dobby!
Another poet I'd missed until now - thanks, Denise!
Posted by: Susan Aizenerg | October 07, 2024 at 08:48 AM