Actual Air

I bought this book at a Silver Jews show, signed by the author. A lot of stars align with this book - Berman gives thanks to Charles Wright, a favorite poet of mine, author of "Black Zodiac" and "The Appalachian Book of the Dead", and UVa professor. There are also hints of John Ashbery's surrealism here, and echoes of Silver Jews lyrics ("a cold black maple hanger"). Berman is a great poet only in the sense that he has an idiosyncratic voice that leads him along to make twisty observations. Berman's concern with the nature of faith and religion is prevalent, deconstructing the symbolism:

If Christ had died in a hallway we might pray in hallways
or wear little golden hallways around our necks

We, as a nation, must support artists like show more Berman who are taking risks with their writing and music; its not all brilliant, it doesn't all make sense, but he has survived poverty, drug addiction and academia to deliver us something real. show less

I couldn't get a handle on the course of Berman's poems. He challenged my expectations with each work in this piece, often conjuring mad visions with the consistency of the white whiskey bottle. At their best, the poems send the reader down a US highway that is made of familiar materials but the scenery feels completely foreign.

A mix of really great poems and pretty good poems. Favorites are “Self-Portrait at 28,” “Imagining Defeat,” and “New York, New York.”

Thoughtful yet accessible poetry.

Wish he'd publish another collection, but at least I'll have another few readings of this one before I can even say that I've tentatively digested it. Thanks much to B & L for the loan. Now I need to buy it for myself.

This an awesome book. Berman is king.

A necessary reread, several years after first reading.