Elegy Owed

Bob Hicok is at his generous best in Hold, his ninth collection. In poems that move nimbly between childlike revelry and deadly serious introspection, Hicok recounts days of contradiction, such as a bright blue sky above the violence of white supremacy. What does it mean to love this birdsong world while rejecting its cruelties? Hold points to the show more essential work of humankind as we "vacillate between killing / everything we see and trying / to have a conversation with clouds," balancing a frank sense of personal responsibility with imagination, joy, and humility. show less