The Guns and Flags Project: Poems (New California Poetry, 6)

Obsessed with work and dream, shot through with weather and color, Geoffrey G. O'Brien's spirited debut pursues the possibility of the lyric itself--whether the voice raised "with melodies/and thinking" can be rescued from the ongoing disaster of progress. In roving five-beat lines the poems pass again and again through scenes of liminality--sunset and dawn, falling asleep and waking up, border crossings--searching there for a potential ethics and politics of vision, a mutating, rhythmic "project" to oppose the inert spectacle of guns and flags. Like Ashbery stoked on sonics, O'Brien insists that the restless, unsatisfied motion of thought must hold the place for an ever-decaying freedom within the state. Yet it is not idea alone that flares "passionately in our lives," but the smell of rain, the behavior of clouds, repetitions of waves: these are the subjects of a meditative ecstasy that advances __The Guns and Flags Project__ as an inheritor of the Stevensian tradition, charged with a sense that history's never-ending storm of restoration and ruin cannot be outmaneuvered but might be withstood, and even revised, by song.

obsessed With Work And Dream, Shot Through With Weather And Color, Geoffrey G. O'brien's Spirited Debut Pursues The Possibility Of The Lyric Itself—whether The Voice Raised With Melodies/and Thinking Can Be Rescued From The Ongoing Disaster Of Progress. In Roving Five-beat Lines The Poems Pass Again And Again Through Scenes Of Liminality—sunset And Dawn, Falling Asleep And Waking Up, Border Crossings—searching There For A Potential Ethics And Politics Of Vision, A Mutating, Rhythmic Project To Oppose The Inert Spectacle Of Guns And Flags. Like Ashbery Stoked On Sonics, O'brien Insists That The Restless, Unsatisfied Motion Of Thought Must Hold The Place For An Ever-decaying Freedom Within The State.
yet It Is Not Idea Alone That Flares Passionately In Our Lives, But The Smell Of Rain, The Behavior Of Clouds, Repetitions Of Waves:these Are The Subjects Of A Meditative Ecstasy That Advances The Guns And Flags Project As An Inheritor Of The Stevensian Tradition, Charged With A Sense That History's Never-ending Storm Of Restoration And Ruin Cannot Be Outmaneuvered But Might Be Withstood, And Even Revised, By Song.

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a Debut Book, O'brien Creates Incredibly Detailed And Dream-like Narratives That Skate Along The Borders Where Everyday Life Filters Into Anxiety And Pain And Poetic Imagery Ultimately Triumphs As A Kind Of Meditative Yet Puzzling Joy.

The Premiere Of Reappearance -- Second Shift -- Absence Of The Archbishop -- Solubility -- Isabel's First House -- Thoughts Of A Judge -- Eloign -- Early Description -- The Sentry-box -- Parts Of A House -- Tale With A Cascading Moral -- Excelsior -- Observations On The Florida Question -- Reverent Estimations -- Palinode -- Two Philosophers -- Plants Waving In Different Directions -- ... -- In The Idle Style -- The Truth In Italy -- Standing Before Paintings -- Constantly So Near -- An Unusual Optimism -- Stanzas From Oliveira's Third Dream -- Man Called Aerodynamics -- Of A Pressing Nature -- A Soldier's Uniform -- The Guestbook -- The White Mare Sodality -- Notes From The Trial Of K. -- Vinteuil's Little Phrase -- Blue Rider School -- The State's Only Child -- The State's Only Child -- Portrait Of The X Family -- Invention Of Laughter -- Second Summer -- Omerta -- Winter Rose. Geoffrey G. O'brien. Poems. Obsessed with work and dream, shot through with weather and color, Geoffrey G. O'Brien's spirited debut pursues the possibility of the lyric itself - whether the voice raised ""with melodies/and thinking"" can be rescued from the ongoing disaster of progress. In roving five-beat lines the poems pass again and again through scenes of liminality - sunset and dawn, falling asleep and waking up, border crossings - searching there for a potential ethics and politics of vision, a mutating, rhythmic ""project"" to oppose the inert spectacle of guns and flags. Like Ashbery stoked on sonics, O'Brien in Content: Acknowledgments The Premiere of Reappearance Second Shift Absence of the Archbishop Solubility Isabel's First House Thoughts of a Judge Eloign Early Description The Sentry-Box Parts of a House Tale with a Cascading Moral Excelsior Observations on the Florida Question Reverent Estimations Palinode Two Philosophers Plants Waving in Different Directions In the Idle Style The Truth in Italy Standing before Paintings Constantly So Near An Unusual Optimism Stanzas from Oliveira's Third Dream Man Called Aerodynamics Of a Pressing Nature A Soldier's Uniform The Guestbook. These poems pursue the possibility of the lyric - whether the voice raised "with melodies/and thinking" can be rescued from the ongoing disaster of progress. The poet insists that the restless, unsatisfied motion of thought must hold the place for freedom within the state.