What Looks Like an Elephant was the runner up in the 2011 Indie Lit Awards Poetry category and well deserving of that honor. I must admit that a blurb on the back cover about the use of math and science language and metaphors intimidated me a bit, but there was no need to fear. Edward Nudelman’s interest in math and science comes as no surprise, given he is a cancer research biologist, and his occupation clearly contributes to his desire and ability to observe the world around him and better enables him to transform these observations and insights into poetry.
In many ways, his keen observations about life reminded me of Ted Kooser’s Delights & Shadows. Nudelman’s narrative poems come to life, like in “Father’s Cobra,” which shows the curiosity of children in a scary sort of way.
Holding a heavy firearm evoked no feelings
of danger, just a twinge of guilt
and a heady sense of relief.
I looked straight into the barrel,
my hand nowhere near the trigger. (page 27)
There are poems about animals, like “Molly,” about putting a beloved, once energetic dog to sleep; relationships, like “Privileges,” a humorous poem about a wife’s gripes and a husband’s unwillingness to change; and youth and old age. I grew nostalgic when reading “On the T, Near Park Street,” remembering my days in Boston, my favorite city.
One of my favorite poems in the collection is “One Way to Understand War.” In my mind, the flock of geese symbolized the beauty and romance of war in their ordered flight formations.
Admire their long graceful necks
twisting and bouncing off the ground.Follow the geese with your eyes.
Watch them look back one last time,
re-form, and race out of view. (page 41)
Admittedly, there were poems that went right over my head, some of which included those science and math metaphors, but I could extract something — even the smallest nugget of understanding — from most of the poems. I never expect to love every poem in a collection anyway.
What Looks Like an Elephant really drove home the point that you shouldn’t avoid poetry because you think it’s going to be too philosophical or too abstract. If I’d passed over this collection, I would have missed out on Nudelman’s skilled use of imagery and (mostly) simple but effective language and his ability to churn up emotions and make me think about the natural world around me and my relationships within it. I don’t take a scholarly approach to poetry; I just read the lines and see how they affect me. There were many times while reading this book that I stopped to contemplate life in general or nodded emphatically over a shared experience, and personally, I believe that’s the best kind of poetry.
Disclosure: I received a copy of What Looks Like an Elephant from the poet as part of the voting process for the Indie Lit Awards. I am an IndieBound affiliate and an Amazon associate.
© 2012 Anna Horner of Diary of an Eccentric. All Rights Reserved. Please do not reproduce or republish content without permission.
I’m glad that you enjoyed this one and that it surprised you. I’ll be posting my review later in the month.
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Looking forward to your thoughts!
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you’ll have to wait until April 18
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I so agree with you, Anna. Nudelman’s imagery is quite wonderful.
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I’m glad that came across in my review. There were so many poems I could have quoted. 😉
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The excerpts you included are great!
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I hope they make you want to give the book a try. 🙂
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I am working through my poetry review for next week and let me tell you… it’s nothing like what you’ve shared here. Good lord! I am going to need a tutor to get through it.
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Oh, no! I’m curious as to what poetry book you’ll be reviewing.
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Anna, you have a way of enticing me to read poetry books!
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Yay! So glad to hear that. 🙂
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Still..maybe not for me ;=)
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Well, there’s a type of poetry out there for everyone. You just have to keep looking.
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This book of poetry sounds amazing! It seems the author covers a great diversity of subjects and themes: war, animals, husband/wife relationshipsetc. I loved the title when I saw it in a few Blogger’s Monday Mailboxes. I love how you describe the author’s poetry and even more, your advice about not getting intimidated and just reading the lines in the poems and feeling their effect.
Fantastic review, Anna, thank you :o)
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Thanks, Amy. I’ve heard from a lot of people that they don’t read poetry because it scares them or they don’t think it speaks to them. I think they just haven’t found the right poems. 🙂
There are a lot of subjects covered in these poems. I think there’s something for everyone here.
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Anna, thanks for the great review and to all those who commented. It’s always a great thrill to have one’s poems read and talked about. I really appreciate it. Best regards, Ed Nudelman, Seattle, WA
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You’re very welcome!
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with his career in biology etc, he reminded me of Miroslav Holub, who worked in pathology & later joined the Institute of Biology (later Microbiology) at the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences.
Brief reflection on accuracy
Fish
always accurately know where to move and when,
and likewise
birds have an accurate built-in time sense
and orientation.
Humanity, however,
lacking such instincts resorts to scientific
research. Its nature is illustrated by the following
occurrence.
A certain soldier
had to fire a cannon at six o’clock sharp every evening.
Being a soldier he did so. When his accuracy was
investigated he explained:
I go by
the absolutely accurate chronometer in the window
of the clockmaker down in the city. Every day at seventeen
forty-five I set my watch by it and
climb the hill where my cannon stands ready.
At seventeen fifty-nine precisely I step up to the cannon
and at eighteen hours sharp I fire.
And it was clear
that this method of firing was absolutely accurate.
All that was left was to check that chronometer. So
the clockmaker down in the city was questioned about
his instrument’s accuracy.
Oh, said the clockmaker,
this is one of the most accurate instruments ever. Just imagine,
for many years now a cannon has been fired at six o’clock sharp.
And every day I look at this chronometer
and always it shows exactly six.
Chronometers tick and cannon boom
Miroslav Holub
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Wow, your knowledge of poetry/poets amazes me. Again, thanks for stopping by and sharing!
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[…] Diary of an Eccentric […]
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[…] Sheehan 2. The Penguin Book of WWI Poetry edited by Jon Silkin 3. Catalina by Laurie Soriano 4. What Looks Like an Elephant by Edward Nudelman 5. Three Women: A Poetic Triptych and Selected Poems by Emma Eden Ramos 6. […]
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