I’m going to just jump right in without preamble. These poems stand on their own!
The Three Poems by Emily Paige Wilson in Longleaf Review are thrilling in their use of language, like a trapeze artist making us hold our breath until the triumphant end. I love, love, love how she weaves together herbal lore, earth treasures, and the human body into her verse in the most unexpected ways, especially in “Poet as Doctor (II)”:
Write perfume in cursive until the pneumonia
in your lungs loosens. Thread silver through
your teeth to tempt splinters from your skin.
Dissolve geode into fine grains on your tongue,
swallow to ease the gout out of your teased
and tangled toes.
“Europa” by Echo Wren in Rattle reads like galaxies floating in space – the words a grouping of stars sparkling for our pleasure.
And now the cold of the universe
touches his cheek as he drifts
farther and farther to where
we cannot touch him.
“Silence” by Emma Gleeson in Poethead. As a self-proclaimed (and content) introvert I find this poem is a pretty perfect commentary on that subject.
I have to sink myself into someone
like a hot bath,
the first touch being too much
small talk singes my skin,
always too thin
“The Trees are Burning at Midnight” by Robert Okaji in Fourth and Sycamore is special to me because I suggested the title during Robert’s stint in the 2016 Tupelo Press 30-30 Challenge. I love the lyricism in this poem and how the first lines draw you in.
What signal tars this moon-blessed night?
And where may we find reliefin these hidden sights? The lure
is not the trap. The trap is not
desire, but desire’s aim.
He had me at “Moon-blessed night”. May we all have many such nights.
***
Photo via Pixabay
Charlotte Hamrick 
gorgeous pieces – thank you, as always, for finding and sharing!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s my pleasure!
LikeLike
Sharing these is a generous thing to do. I’m glad you included Okaji. I was going to send a link if you didn’t. His translations especially are gorgeous.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I agree! I’ve been a fan of Robert’s for quite a few years. The problem with his work is deciding which poem to include!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Not a bad problem to have.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Excellent. The first poet I like the most, especially these lines:
I rub the earth between my fingers,
waiting for the black dirt to produce
happiness chemicals like the internet
said it would.
😀
Also, I’ve been happily binge-eating through The Good Fight. I wonder who it was that mentioned somewhere that it’s worth it. 😉
LikeLiked by 2 people
Yes, more great lines! I’m glad you’re liking TGF, I finished the season a couple of days ago. Now I’m bingeing Marcella season 2 on Netflix. So good!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for including my poem with these others, Charlotte. Wow! They’re incredible!
LikeLiked by 1 person
My pleasure!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Reblogged this on O at the Edges and commented:
These poems! Charlotte Hamrick has highlighted some recent favorites. Read especially the first three poets. The fourth one’s okay, though I’m often at odds with him. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Robert’s reblog brought me here, and thank you for sharing this glorious collection of poems.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks to you for visiting!
LikeLiked by 2 people
My pleasure, I enjoyed the poems
LikeLike
The third one is really good, but the fourth one really got to me. ❤ These are so good.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m glad you enjoyed them! Thanks for letting me know. ☀️
LikeLike