I am rereading Juliet Patterson‘s first book of poetry The Truant Lover. The poems, which clearly reveal the influence of Lorine Niedecker, are both pared down and startling. Through her precise language, Patterson evokes profound ambiguities of the heart and mind. Many of the poems in this thrilling collection have appeared in journals before. One of my favorite ones “A Narrative” was first published online in three candles journal.

[Note 7/2009: While three candles journal has gone offline, the link to the archived version of Patterson’s poem still works. Other links to Patterson’s poetry and prose, including audio samples, can be found here at her website.]

Originally posted on 10.31.2006