Poem of the Week: 3/16/08-3/22/08

There are two parts to a great poem. The first is a compelling imagery that should draw you in even before you can quite figure out what it is all about. The second is skillful allusions that bring a whole world of thought to life with a few sparse lines.

The Consolations by Adam Kirsch falls a little short when it comes to the department of compelling imagery. But it makes up for this deficiency by working hard on the department of skillful allusions. On the balance, it does not quite rise to the heights of a truly great poem, but as mediation on America’s current economic problems it has no poetic peer as of yet.

Unfortunately, if you don’t get any of the illusions, this poem can be dismissed out hand. So we recommend that you read up on Boethius before you read this poem (Catholic Encyclopedia and Wikipedia both have good short biographical pieces on him). If you really have time, it would not hurt to read a translation of Boethius’s The Consolation of Philosophy.

But if you have not the time for that, at least read the three places that Adam Kirsch draws direct quotes from. Here is a translation of the song that quote that heads the first section Mr. Kirsch’s poem comes from. Here is a translation of the song that the quote that heads the second section of Mr. Kirsch’s poem comes from. And here is a translation of the song that the quote that heads the last section comes from.