Awake by Dorianne Laux

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A few weeks ago my dad was listening to Garrison Keillor’s The Writer’s Almanac and he heard a poem by Dorianne Laux . After looking her up, I checked out her first collection of poetry, Awake, at the library.

I don’t often read modern poets, or classic poetry, to be honest. But reading more like Laux’s wouldn’t be be bad. It’s dark at times, I’ve heard her more recent poetry is on the lighter side, but her first poems are deeply personal and very much alive.

On the Back Porch was my favorite from the collection, funnily enough, it was also the one my dad heard on NPR… it perfectly showcased my love for simplicity in life, in this part especially:

I want to smell this rich soup, the air
around me going dark, as stars press
their simple shapes into the sky.
I want to stay on the back porch
while the world tilts
toward sleep, until what I love
misses me, and calls me in.

While I’d rather not read about the heavier topics in this collection, what was shared was chilling and well written. I’ll definitely be checking out more of her work in the future. 4/5 stars