Delights and Shadows, by Ted Kooser

Delights and Shadows
Ted Kooser

I'm picky with my poetry. This is because I believe that much of what passes for "good poetry" these days is actually crap. By crap, I mean that which lacks soul, lacks beauty, just all-around lacks. Most are awfully pretentious, as if obscurity equals some sorth of Truth. (Anne Carson, I'm looking at you, dear.)

So I don't read too much poetry these days, with the exception of Louise Gluck, Mary Karr, Margaret Atwood, and a few other souls who have managed to pierce my rather tough armor. I'm glad I read a particularly insightful review of Ted Kooser's Delights and Shadows, or else I might have lumped him in with the rest of those poets I don't read.

Ted Kooser's poetry is often deemed "accessible," a label that seems damning to the would-be "serious" poet. And while it cannot be denied that his work is extremely accessible, that does not mean his poetry lacks depth and beauty.

Delights and Shadows tackles not only difficult subjects such as the death of his parents and Kooser's own sense of aging, but also "delightful" topics like the simple beauty found everywhere in life. I won't go into a long discussion of my favorite poems (there were too many) or a long analysis of his themes (which is unnecessary). True, his poems are accessible, but don't be mislead by the term. There is great depth to this work; you'll be able to read "simple" poems again and again and find more and more insights as you do.

In a nutshell: Finally, a contemporary poet that doesn't suck. Everyone can find meaning and illumination here.

Bibliolatry Scale: 6 out of 6 stars