These poems consider large events, such as 9/11 and the Holocaust, as
well as everyday concerns like quilting, ice skating, or the beauty of a
stand of sugar maples in winter.
Co-Winner of the Sheila Motton Book Award of the New England Poetry Club
In the pivotal poem "Marking Time," which appears almost exactly halfway
through Peter Filkins's fourth collection of poetry, the speaker
reflects on the death of a sibling and how time is marked by our
memories. These memories, these moments--whether spent contemplating a
painting by Vermeer or the simple toss of a bean bag--ultimately shape
who we are. "Yet you are with me here, with me here again, / where
neither that moon nor you exist, but live / tethered to this memory
composed of words."
These are poems unafraid to be graceful and engaging. They attain an
assurance and stability rare in contemporary poetry, while their careful
balance of sadness and joy reminds the reader of the difficult
negotiations we make in life.