Common Carnage

_Common Carnage_ is by far one my favorite works of poetry. The poems are written in a plain English that even those who don't like poetry should enjoy reading. Dobyns deals with a variety of interesting topics, including the writing process itself and the nature of art. What seems to concern Dobyns most in this work, however, is how we are all connected to each other through a series of common ideas and events. The book culminates with the incredible poem "Crimson Invitation," which asks why anyone would want to end his life, because even the most mundane aspects of our lives make them worth living. Incredible stuff for poetry lovers and even those who don't read poetry. Highly recommended.

Stephen Dobyns has a real gift for the free verse line--deceptively conversational in tone, but if you look at a poem closely, you realize just how carefully each line is constructed. What you get is an incredibly readable collection of poems that get through to the reader with just the right tone, and which stand up very well to closer scrutiny (if you're into that sort of thing) and rereading. Dobyns has, I think, a unique understanding of the relationship between the Poet and the Reader.Dobyns's earlier poetry is great too, but this is a fine book with which to start.