The Deed of Gift: Poems

Rating:
Summary: Brevity is the soul of wit¿and so much more
Review: "Brevity is the soul of wit," said Polonius. In the poems of Timothy Murphy it is that and so much more-mockery, tenderness, dread, humor, despair, charm, bitter wisdom, and serious whimsy. The compression of Murphy's art-short poems with short lines propelled by meter and rhyme-leaves no space for false moves or stylistic awkwardness. Each poem is pure muscle and breath molded to its task and exulting in its motion. And despite the short format, Murphy by turns unleashes and restrains an aural playfulness that delights in whole mouthfuls of sound. His engagement with life equals his engagement with language. The Deed of Gift, his first full-length book of poems, published at age 47 after a life grounded in the stark realities of farming in North Dakota, is divided into four parts: I. Farming All Night, about that way of life and the view of nature it compels; II. Je Me Souviens, with its poems each steeped in a sense of place ranging from the Arctic to Martinique; III. The Gift of Hera, in large part a meditation on the art of writing: IV. Father of the Man, an exploration of family and home; V. Early Poems, revealing that Murphy started as a witty and energetic classicist, educated to the hilt and wise in the ways of books. The theme of homosexuality that appears here in a flashy 3rd person voice reappears sparingly in the later poems in his own deeper, unforgettable 1st person. Every poem in this book is perfectly achieved. Marvel at the art of it.

Rating:
Summary: Brevity is the soul of wit?and so much more
Review: "Brevity is the soul of wit," said Polonius. In the poems of Timothy Murphy it is that and so much more-mockery, tenderness, dread, humor, despair, charm, bitter wisdom, and serious whimsy. The compression of Murphy's art-short poems with short lines propelled by meter and rhyme-leaves no space for false moves or stylistic awkwardness. Each poem is pure muscle and breath molded to its task and exulting in its motion. And despite the short format, Murphy by turns unleashes and restrains an aural playfulness that delights in whole mouthfuls of sound. His engagement with life equals his engagement with language. The Deed of Gift, his first full-length book of poems, published at age 47 after a life grounded in the stark realities of farming in North Dakota, is divided into four parts: I. Farming All Night, about that way of life and the view of nature it compels; II. Je Me Souviens, with its poems each steeped in a sense of place ranging from the Arctic to Martinique; III. The Gift of Hera, in large part a meditation on the art of writing: IV. Father of the Man, an exploration of family and home; V. Early Poems, revealing that Murphy started as a witty and energetic classicist, educated to the hilt and wise in the ways of books. The theme of homosexuality that appears here in a flashy 3rd person voice reappears sparingly in the later poems in his own deeper, unforgettable 1st person. Every poem in this book is perfectly achieved. Marvel at the art of it.

Rating:
Summary: a different kind of poet
Review: A good sign that a poet is talented: Richard Wilbur writes the introduction to your first collection. Tim Murphy is different from the Formalist poets. Murphy has masted the short line--the dimeter or trimeter. Murphy's poems are metrically sound, without being sing-song. More often than not his rhymes are original and flow with the poem. And though the short line is often used for light verse, Murphy shows that it can be powerful when used seriously. Murphy's poems are the poems of the farmer (a highly educated and well-read farmer) and are easily accessible. The few poems that are of longer line length are also well done, showing that Murphy can write in pentameter as well. I didn't like the final section as much, titled "Early Poems" which I'm guessing he wrote in his youth. The poems are classical in nature and subject, their line lengths are longer, and though they are good, I think can see them as the poems he wrote while trying to find his voice. And I'm glad he did, because it is a strong voice. These poems are a joy to read, and I look forward to reading his new book. (My favorite poems: "The Peg-leg Pig", "Jasper Lake", "Lonesome Peak", "The Quarrel" and "A Dog Young and Old")

Rating:
Summary: Short and moving poems
Review: Timothy Murphy is one of my favorite living poets. He writes short, clear, accessible lyrics in meter and rhyme, most of them about the trials of farm life and prairie living. (But you don't have to be a farmer to appreciate them -- I live in New York City.) They are full of intensity and pathos. He has that magical ability to paint a vivid picture with just a few words. I would liken his writing to Emily Dickinson, but it doesn't have Dickinson's idiosyncracies. In my opinion, he is one of the best poets writing today. Please e-mail me a for a link where some of Murphy's poems can be viewed, and then come back and buy this book!

Rating:
Summary: Short and moving poems
Review: Timothy Murphy is one of my favorite living poets. He writes short, clear, accessible lyrics in meter and rhyme, most of them about the trials of farm life and prairie living. (But you don't have to be a farmer to appreciate them -- I live in New York City.) They are full of intensity and pathos. He has that magical ability to paint a vivid picture with just a few words. I would liken his writing to Emily Dickinson, but it doesn't have Dickinson's idiosyncracies. In my opinion, he is one of the best poets writing today. Please e-mail me a for a link where some of Murphy's poems can be viewed, and then come back and buy this book!