Ghost Pain : Poems

by Lea, Sydney

• ISBN13: 9781932511130
• ISBN10: 193251113X
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2005-04-01
• Publisher: Sarabande Books

Summary

"Singer of stories, lyric raconteur, Sydney Lea has evolved-through a long, rich career-into one of America's most harrowing and honest poets. Ghost Pain is his most eloquent and wrenching book."-T.R. Hummer "Ghost Pain is a remarkable book, which takes his work to a new level."-Stephen Dunn The eighth poetry collection by the founder of New England Review explores addiction, alcoholism, violence and the uses and inadequacies of art.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	ix
The Author in March	3	(2)
I. Was Blind But Now	5	(24)
1959	7	(2)
Gradus ad Parnassum	9	(2)
Getting Involved (by Henri Michaux)	11	(1)
Evening Walk as the School Year Starts	12	(2)
Blues in Another Time	14	(2)
Nowhere	16	(2)
November Out His Window	18	(2)
The Jetty (by Henri Michaux)	20	(2)
Epidemic	22	(2)
Was Blind But Now	24	(3)
Football Against the School for the Deaf	27	(2)
II. A Man Walked Out	29	(38)
i. A man walked into a bar	33	(1)
ii. Bell	34	(3)
iii. 666: Father of lies	37	(3)
iv. The old Indian	40	(3)
v. Predator	43	(3)
vi. The group	46	(7)
vii. Road rage	53	(3)
viii. Dry drunk, the rowing	56	(4)
ix. Talent from birth	60	(2)
x. Noon for good	62	(5)
III. Broken Haven	67	(34)
Ghost Pain	69	(3)
Hole	72	(3)
Plume on the Ceiling (by Henri Michaux)	75	(1)
Roadkill Season, I-91	76	(2)
Wonder: Red Beans and Ricely	78	(3)
In a Time of Torpor	81	(2)
At a Solemn Musick
i. After looking into my grandmother's hymnal	83	(2)
ii. Children, singing	85	(1)
Plume Had a Sore Finger (by Henri Michaux)	86	(2)
Finds	88	(2)
Suite in Mudtime
i. Winterkill	90	(2)
ii. A Hundred Himalayas	92	(2)
iii. Young Beech: How I See By Now	94	(2)
iv. Winter Holding Onto Winter	96	(2)
Transport	98	(3)
The Author	101