The Ocean Inside Kenji Takezo

Mr. Noguchi's first book still startles me. I read it when it first came out and I return to it regularly. Here is a book of lyrics that tells the story of Kenji Takezo and his overwhelming passion for the deep blue sea. An American coming-of-age story, a surfer's story,it gracefully chronicles a young man's tricky relations with the force of gravity and the thrill of speed. Noguchi's Pacific is like Twain's Mississippi--an elemental, allegorical presence. The poems are tightly wound and often very funny, and yet there is something understated and deft that is beguiling. A kind of poignance and dignity permeates the wildest adventure of the hero. I love the stillness at the center of what roils and moves these poems, and I love the clarity of this book like I love to breathe the spring air. If you don't buy this book, go to the library. Or steal it. A seriously dazzling thing.