Surrounded By Poetry
Plus, another free art recommendation
As a stalwart supporter of independent bookstores, and a recent convert to the close reading of poetry, it was only a matter of time before I found my way to the Harvard Square institution that is the Grolier Poetry Book Shop.
It’s a minor miracle that the Grolier has remained in business for almost 98 years, and speaks to the love of poetry (and physical bookstores) of a core group of supporters over those many years. If you haven’t visited recently (or ever), make it a point to drop in. You do have to plan your visit more than with most bookstores, due to the Grolier’s relatively limited hours of business (Wednesday-Friday, 11 am to 7 pm; first Saturday of each month, noon to 5 pm).
My visit last month had one particular moment of magic. It’s a cozy store, to say the least, allowing for that feeling of being literally surrounded by poetry. As I entered the store, I was immediately within earshot of two customers in conversation, one of the two eagerly recommending a book to the other, although he was unable to recall the title. Wouldn’t you know it: I was in the midst of reading that very book, was carrying it in my bookbag at that very moment, and brandished it with just as much enthusiasm:
Mendelsohn’s book has at its heart an undergraduate seminar he teaches on The Odyssey audited by his 81-year old father. The book’s three strands (the seminar, an analysis of Homer’s poem, and most importantly Mendelsohn’s relationship with his father) come together to create as rich a reading experience as I’ve had this year. Mendelsohn even goes so far as to structure An Odyssey to replicate some of Homer’s narrative strategies.
Meanwhile, back to the Grolier. I wish I’d taken a picture or two there, so you could see how the store holds you in a warm, tight hug. Here’s a Google Maps link that you should visit to give you some idea.
Beyond the magic Mendelsohn moment, I came away with two other treasures:
I had recently taken O’Hara’s book out of the library, but wanted to own my own copy. Adding it to my library was a good way to give the Grolier some business. As for the issue of Poetry, the clerk at the store let me know I could help myself to a copy for free from a wide selection of back issues. This particular issue intrigued me with its subtitle, “The Q&A Issue” (it was in shrink wrap, so I wasn’t sure what the subtitle signified). What I found was that each poem within was followed by a Q&A with the poet discussing the poem in question. This certainly enhanced my appreciation of all of the poems. You can experience some of the issue by clicking on the image of the cover below. While I couldn’t find the Q&A’s, I was able to find my way to some discussion of the Q&As, so have fun exploring.
Post-Script:
Each summer, the Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston, mounts a large-scale work at its East Boston Watershed location. The exhibit is free, and year in and year out has been worth a visit. This year Hew Locke conjures up the spirit of Caribbean carnival (and so much more) with The Procession. Each of the approximately 140 life-sized figures is rich in visual splendor and metaphorical meaning. I visited the Watershed in combination with a visit to the ICA in the Seaport via a museum pass (available from my library for $10.00; the museum exhibits right now are excellent, plus admission includes a round trip via water taxi to the Watershed). I’ve added a link to the picture below (one of many I took at the exhibit) to a series of videos where Locke and others show and discuss his work. Click on the picture and enjoy The Procession.
