William Kemmett, a circle of no stars (1st Edition) (Buy this book)
Review by debora Ewing
William Kemmett is an OG poet around Igneus Press. He sent his manuscript in the mail, typed on a typewriter. These pages held magic.
He was a close friend of the Igneus Press founder, Peter S. Kidd – so close that there’s poetic advice to Pete’s daughter written in this book, regarding publication of Kidd’s magnum opus. I thought about showing you, but I won’t. That’s an Easter egg for you to hunt.
Kemmett does share his friend Pete’s intimate understanding of trees and landscape. The poems in this book evolve from a truant child’s view of the wild woods to an old man’s love affair with a shrub he planted in his yard.
THE BARGAIN
My Arizona Pine Brush is
showing rust. There is nothing
I can do. I cut away the dead
and dying needles. I spray
with glass cleaner and mulch
around its base.
The sparrows flit in
and out the spaces. I’m in debt
up to my eye balls. My small wish
is to spare this thing.
The sparrows are alive.
we’ll see soon enough if I have
the faith to touch away
what is incurable. My name
is what I owe.
I’m eighty-five with shade
enough to let this thing grow.
A sparrow comes to rest in my
hard needles. The gaps in the bush
are too wide to hear the wind.
Many of these pieces reference not only Kemmett’s childhood but his children, juxtaposed with the city and history of Boston. His relationship between nature and brick feels like a torn loyalty to both – how to convey that to generations born into the era of handheld technology? Poetry seems an apt vehicle, touching three worlds at once.
This collection is a fine addition to Kemmett’s extant Igneus Press titles. Hole in the Heart has long been a favorite of mine. His keen eye and wandering nature have encouraged my own vagabond soul; give him a chance to encourage yours, too.
