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seebrandyread's review
2.0
I wondered who influenced Jay Michaelson in Another Word for Sky. He mentions Allen Ginsberg in one poem, and I can see similar subject matter and oration style in his own work. Michaelson is also deeply connected to his Jewish faith which resonates through Yiddish and Hebrew words and phrases, references to stories from the Torah, and poems that read like prayers. Earlier I discussed the connection between poetry and religion. Nearly all religions have songs and prayers, and many have collections of wisdom such as the Psalms, all of which take on the cadence and rhythm of poetry. Poetry has a mystic power which I think all poets must believe in whether or not they're actually religious.
The collection as a whole feels a little disjointed because Michaelson's style and voice make some drastic swings. Some poems are coherent and grounded while others are abstract and full of linguistic experimentation. Some poems are funny and sarcastic while others are totally somber. I like when poets switch up styles, but I also like knowing that I'm reading the same poet. Maybe I just needed to dig a little deeper to "get" this one.
The collection as a whole feels a little disjointed because Michaelson's style and voice make some drastic swings. Some poems are coherent and grounded while others are abstract and full of linguistic experimentation. Some poems are funny and sarcastic while others are totally somber. I like when poets switch up styles, but I also like knowing that I'm reading the same poet. Maybe I just needed to dig a little deeper to "get" this one.
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