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Three books* down, one to go.

Walkies first. The body doesn't understand why it's suddenly all full of existentialist wonder and melancholy... but it does "understand" a good breeze and the heady scent of leaves and bark in the late afternoon sun.

(*Two were more like prose poems than traditional narratives, mind you - and now I'm all itchy to write poetry. Does that happen to you, @stephen_a_allen, when reviewing a book of poetry? Does it immediately make you reach for a blank page yourself?)

@MLClark Not just reviewing, but simply reading a book of poetry tends to spark creativity. The same does not generally happen with prose, which may go some way to explaining why my muse has been quiet recently. I need to pick up some poetry and get reading (and writing).

@stephen_a_allen

Is there anything on your radar, with respect to newer volumes, or are you thinking of returning to an older text?

(I have a huge hankering to go back to some Lowell next, myself.)

@MLClark Funny you should mention Lowell: I got about halfway through his complete poems a few years ago (okay, maybe a decade ago), and I was thinking recently that I should go back and finish. I also must shyly confess that I haven't yet read Diane Suess' latest. And I do have another book to review waiting in the wings. And several stacks of other poetry volumes hanging around the house.

@stephen_a_allen

!!! Shall we bookclub Lowell, then?

(Maybe not right away; I still have five books in queue for reviews. But... October, perhaps?)

@MLClark
That's an excellent idea! The Lowell complete is arranged by individual volume, so we could pick up one of the later ones when I get to it. Or we can just pick individual poems.

@stephen_a_allen

Beautiful. You let me know which one, and I'll try to secure its ebook version.

But I do hope that you stumble upon a few gems from more recent volumes in the interim, too! (And post about them here!)

@stephen_a_allen

🤗 Also, always so good to touch base with you, Stephen. Big hugs from afar. I hope you're having a lovely end of summer.

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