The Waker’s Corridor by Jonathan Thirkield is the kind of poetry that probably drives Ron Silliman completely insane (though he also probably derives some little pleasure from the confirmation of his opinion of the poetry establishment, such as it is). The collection was the 2008 winner of the Walt Whitman Award from the Academy of American Poets for the best first collection (so maybe my criticisms are just jealousy – a failed poet lashing out at one succeeding in his chosen craft).

By which I mean, Thirkield is a Quietist (apparently, he has also been lumped in with Expansive Poetry – a school that I, in my ignorance, had never heard of until the other day). I don’t always agree with Silliman – many of my favorite poets are surely on his “Quietist hit list” and many of his favorite poets are on my “Huh – I don’t get it list.” But in this case, I totally get it.

None of which is to say that Thirkield is a poor writer. But let’s just say, I could have guessed that he studied at an MFA program (the prestigious Iowa Writer’s Workshop, in this case). Again – don’t get me wrong – I would give my right arm to attend the Iowa Writer’s Workshop (but only because I’m left handed – I would not give my own left arm, though I might be willing to give them someone else’s, were it truly required).

He enjoys narrative poetry and has a good turn of phrase (though phrases like “promise of renewal” from the poem White Coves make me cringe). For no particularly reason, I thought of William Wordsworth while reading him – or perhaps for his tendency to try and write pastoral poems within the dense urban landscape of the New York.