Day 22: "The World Doesn't End" by Charles Simic

Well, I've circled back around to Simic. This book is much more of what I know. This collection is made up of prose poems and prose poems series. The language and use of metaphor, fairytale, and allusions are amazing.

Of course, I didn't "get" everything. I seem to have a cultural disconnect. In the first section, I am pretty sure World War I and especially, World War II are alluded to AND made into allegory through fairytale images. Mice nibble on ears, and ancestors eat cabbage--time is liminal.

A note on the prose poem. Most of these poems are in blocks which is the gold standard of the prose poem. (I sometimes break this not as does Simic). The language and metaphor are completely considered poetry, except for the line and use of white space. These are condensed and collapsed. Now, prose poems as well as poetry are able to tell stories and be more narrative. Of course, the epic poem came first, but that sense of poetry felt lost for a while when image and sound were praised over narrative.

https://www.amazon.com/World-Doesnt-End-Charles-Simic/dp/0156983508/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=the+world+doesn%27t+end+simic&qid=1598106735&sr=8-1