Fictions from the self

Burkard is a poet of such stunning originality that even the most jaded reader will keep turning the pages of this book. A visionary who sees a "cheap berry of a moon" while seeking the "telephone book of the present," he explores the delicate architecture of the Self, an interior world of dreams, amnesia, and multiple personalities. Throughout, one hears faint echoes of John Ashbery, Robert Creeley, and Norman Dubie, but Burkard's unpredictable voice predominates: "The man with clocks/ is my amnesia/ is a hatchet in/ a bowl of milk. . . ." Even his titles are unforgettable: "My Sister Is Not a Dollar." With its penetrating insights and utterly distinctive style, this is a unique and important book. Essential for all serious poetry collections.Daniel L. Guillory, Millikin Univ., Decatur, Ill.
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