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Reviewed by Constance Stadler for Readers' Favorite
Considering the lattice that connects in-between spaces, reconnecting shards of distant memory, or staring at a sidewalk sketch after a downpour are among ways of approaching The Sandpiper’s Spell, the stunning poetry compilation by Tom Pearson. Whether interpreting a languid moment or creating a narrative from a conflicting pastiche, the verse is as telling as it is revelatory. This collection of poetry dazzles—intermingling fragments of staccato logic and sensory adhesions. The result is the creation of breathing portraits where change invariably impacts norms. Just when patterns of open spaces between stanzas click—inviting further personal engagement—a poem such as 'Story Lodge' illustrates the directive skills of a gifted storyteller. Unanticipated excerpts of beauty and its span of opposites infuse work throughout the book. Words such as 'ofrenada' and 'Matanzas' illustrate the immediate while underscoring historical connections. From the first poem in the compilation—establishing the anchor—cinematic breadth, plangent introspection, and the irrevocable ordinary compel the reader to fill in apertures through self-reflection.
As the poems progress, they become more hermetic. Dualities of intent are supplemented, in no small part by extraordinary imagery. A stanza such as ‘Georgia sunset/calico corona of autumn forgetfulness’ is a poem in itself. References to Greek mythology infuse the same rejection of absolutes. 'Hephaestus' links this contrast of identity. As Tom Pearson’s writing elides, the increasing spell of the core poem is achieved through a slow build. In the final sections, there is a radical shift in structure and effect in tone, but ambiguity is never relinquished. A linking commonality to cyclic rituals where tragedy as the impetus of transition is as true for lusting crabs as for discarded childhood. Content is augmented by prosodic musicality complemented by the skillful use of white space, where the silence of what is not written becomes a significant creative element as the book draws to a close. The panorama of being is often expressed through inanimate objects such as a rusted lawnmower blade or a Polaroid photo, affording greater access to era and poignancy. In a time when random free verse endorses the legitimacy of every self-named poet, The Sandpiper's Spell is a glorious reminder of what poetry can be.
