Well, I told my readers that I’d have a review of Charles Simic’s My Noiseless Entourage. Upon reading this collection of poetry, I was so moved by Simic’s work that I’ve decided to submit that particular review for publication. Still, I owe it to the readers here at S & I to give some kind of idea of my thoughts about the collection, so here goes:
Simic’s work sits on the fine line between ambiguity and complete coherence. Some of the pieces can be interpreted in a number of ways; some pieces remain abstract but defy any attempt to not interpret them. Although Charles Simic is a professor, his work doesn’t fall into the academic category. He doesn’t over-emphasize sonics or meter, but uses some of these techniques in incredibly well-thought out places and only where they are appropriate. Despite the awe-inspiring depth of thought present in his work, Simic keeps his vocabulary in the realm of common American vernacular. Sometimes the poems are playful; sometimes dead serious. For all of these reasons, I’m ranking Simic as my all-time favorite contemporary American poetry.
Summary Scores:
Originality: 4 Craft: 3 Accessibility: 5 Significance Factor: 5 Inspiration Factor: 4
