Phillips, Robert (Schaeffer) - Andrew Curry
ANDREW CURRY
[Inner Weather]—designed "… to smash a witch who could not / fly …"—is more curious than interesting. The quote is from "The Weird Sister" which opens this series of poems authored by one of the most consistent of the young poets. Phillips is 30ish; but in "Rosedale Afternoon" he is as death and insanity. The poems appear to have been written between 1958–1965, constituting, perhaps, Phillips' "early work." Phillips knows the craft well—perhaps too well. His sense of humor is apparent and tastefully used.
The image of flying is Phillips' explicit focus here. He defines poetry as "flight, rising on its strength." But the majority of these poems never pulled me into that promised flight. I never flew and when I wanted to structure, tradition, technical devices … simply prevented me from doing so. Perhaps it is true that one concentrates on a poem's externals when he doesn't know what else to say....
[The entire page is 236 words long]
Join eNotes
Over 3,500 study guides, question and answer forums, literature criticism, reference content, and much more!
Navigate
