The New Economy

The enchanting latest from Calvocoressi (Rocket Fantastic) examines the dichotomy of the body and soul, and the joys and sorrows each provide, through the lens of aging. The speaker recognizes that there is power in the self-knowledge time brings, and in discarding “the empire of the expertise of others” to do as one pleases. Several poems seem to be written from the perspective of a being who has visited Earth and who draws a distinction between their corporeal form, or “skin sack,” and their “light body,” which refers to something like a soul. One standout is “Homecoming Cistern Alien Vessel,” in which the speaker recalls struggling with the awkward physical and emotional pains of life on Earth: “I was confused all the time. I wanted so much.// My hole felt like a gut with an antler/ rammed through it. So lonely and strange/ and always trying to smile. Coin of the realm.” This poem and several others capture the lived experience of being in a body that defies typical gender expectations, piercingly and powerfully evoking feelings of alienation. Throughout, Calvocoressi mourns the dead and the otherwise absent with quiet longing: “Wish you. Wish you would come back for a while./ Don’t even need to bring your skin sack. I’ll know/ you.” Survival is revolutionary in this brilliant collection. (Oct.)