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4.0
Hayden Carruth, Asphalt Georgics (New Directions, 1985)
Asphalt Georgics stands well out from the Carruth corpus in that the whole book, every poem therein (of which there are thirteen), is written in iambic, either quadrameter or pentameter. Thematically, it makes sense, as much of what is here is a jaundiced look at the excessive civilizing of Vermont, something which Carruth has been despairing of almost as long as he's been writing. Never has he done so as eloquently as he does here, though there is some inconsistency in the quality of the work (however minor that inconsistency may be, as is usually the case with Carruth) and the repeated rhythm tends to make the pieces run together. More a book for browsing than for dedicated reading, but another fine one. *** ½
Asphalt Georgics stands well out from the Carruth corpus in that the whole book, every poem therein (of which there are thirteen), is written in iambic, either quadrameter or pentameter. Thematically, it makes sense, as much of what is here is a jaundiced look at the excessive civilizing of Vermont, something which Carruth has been despairing of almost as long as he's been writing. Never has he done so as eloquently as he does here, though there is some inconsistency in the quality of the work (however minor that inconsistency may be, as is usually the case with Carruth) and the repeated rhythm tends to make the pieces run together. More a book for browsing than for dedicated reading, but another fine one. *** ½
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