A year of last things Poems

The dazzling latest by Ondaatje (The Story) brings his formidable literary gifts and imagination to bear on questions of memory and artistic process. Tenderly plumbing friends, ex-lovers, works of art, and "echoing rivers where we lost and found ourselves," he writes of "all those small recalls of this and that/ before our walk up a staircase into the dark." Photographs serve as especially potent aides-mémoires, and retrospection is more playful than onerous, even when recollected moments retain their dangerous charge (like "that abandoned time" in boarding school under the reign of an abusive priest, "his large body belted with a Christian cord of rope"). Each experience exists "not as memory, but like a gift/ from forgetfulness." "Nothing stays still in a story," Ondaatje reminds the reader, and, indeed, the narrative impulse holds sway in these lyric poems: "your bare feet on a mosaic in Gaza that could perhaps guide you like a terza rima towards a safe place to complete your story." Poetry offers a place "beyond the familiar properties": "the breaking line's breath-like leap/ into the missed life// till there was no longer a story, only stillness/ or falling." Speaking from and into times of extraordinary loss, the speaker asks: "Now we are less. How do we become more?" This collection radiates the joy of a fully realized, literary life. (Mar.)

Booker Prize-winning poet, novelist, and essayist Ondaatje's latest, much-anticipated poetry collection (following his novel Warlight and his 2006 poetry collection The Story) allows listeners to glimpse the influences, inspirations, and experiences that shaped his life. With gemlike imagery, Ondaatje explores the shifting nature of memory and history with language that is at turns wry, questioning, and poignant. Ondaatje details the pleasures and sorrows of his life, whether they are ephemeral flashes or lasting experiences, drawing from past moments while referencing present happenings and telling stories of his travels and encounters across the globe. Narrating his own work, Ondaatje offers a fluid and gentle reading, tenderly guiding listeners through his journey of romance and self-discovery. The result is an intimate listen that feels like whispers shared in the dark. It is occasionally difficult to discern chapter breaks, but as the verses flow, understanding the movement of the writing becomes effortless. VERDICT A mesmerizing audio, enhanced by the author's heartfelt narration. Recommended for listeners hoping to immerse themselves in a poetic escape that is beautifully written and raw.--Autumn Wyatt