Lisel Mueller (1924–2020)

Very touching, intimate poems. As soon as I finished it I read it again. I like that she takes ordinary, concrete objects and simple moments remembered and then brings out their emotional connections to her and to events of her life.

"Joy, joy the sopranos sing,
reaching for the shimmering notes
while our eyes fill with tears."

Mueller is a well-regarded poet and essayist noted for her lyrical verse that explores human experience and the power and limitations of language. Many critics have lauded the autobiographical aspects of her poetry, which often concerns her heritage and her poetic development. This collection, Alive Together, was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for poetry in 1997.
As in the final stanza of this poem, show more titled simply Joy, Mueller's poetry shimmers with the beauty of music and humanity. Her life seemingly translated word by word onto the paper that brings forth the poems. The lyrical beauty grows as you read the collection culminating in a joy that is demonstrated in multiple readings. show less

I loved both The Triumph of Life: Mary Shelley
and Another Version,
yet could have felt deeper without the missing heart and the oddly poisoned apple.

My favorite modern poet. Her verse is very moving, and you don't have to "get" poetry to enjoy her.