ChosenbyRandallMannasawinneroftheJakeAdamYorkPrize,BrianTierney’sRiseandFloatdepictsthejourneyofapoetworking--remarkably,miraculously--tomakeourmostprofound,privatewoundsvisibleonthepage.Withthe“corpseofFrost“underhisheel,Tierneyreckonswithalifethatresistspoeticrendition.Thetransgenerationalimpactofmentalillness,astrugglewithdisorderedeating,afather’sdeathfromcancer,thelossoflovedonestoaddictionandsuicide--allofthesecompoundto“monthafter/month“and“dream/afterdream“ofstruck-throughlines.Still,Tierneycommandspoetry’scatharticpotentialthroughsearingimages:wallpaperpeelinglike“wristskinwhenagraterslips,“a“laughasgoodasascream,“pearsashardasatumor.Thesepoemscommunewiththeirghostsnottoovercome,buttorelease.ThecourseofRiseandFloatisnotstraightforward.Whereonepoemgentlyconfessesto“trying,thesedays,tobelieveagain/inpeople,“anotherconcedesthat“defeat/sometimesisdefeat/withoutpurpose.“Look:thechairisjustachair.“Butthereinliesthebeautyofthiscollection:intheproximity(andoccasionaloverlap)ofthesevoices,weseesomethingalluringly,openlyhuman.Betweenaboy“tornopen“bydogsandasuicide,“twobeautifulteenagersarekissing.“Betweenscreams,somethingintimate--hope,howeverdifficultitmaybe.
RISE HOPE MONTH FLOAT MIRACULOUSLY DREAM LOOK REMARKABLY TRYING
