Kirjahaku

There is no subtlety in this collection by poet Andrew Condouris. The garish light of day collides with the night, then breaks away. Truth is not something to easily bargain with, yet these poems tease it and even make it blush. The arsenal of textures throughout these works reveals a soul refusing to accept our collective amnesia by turning inwards and accepting whatever monsters he finds. Written during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, this collection reveals the persistence of a mind to gravitate between either fear or love, with no stops along the way. The villain or their victim do most of the talking, but it all comes from the same source: the elaborate, almost elegant, anxiety lurking in the American heart.

Inspired by Franz Shubert's haunting song cycle Wintereisse, Condouris takes a modern look at the potentials and pitfalls of carrying your wound with you long after the injury. As the enigmatic wanderer in Strange Motion relays his experiences in this winter landscape, the journey and destination form despite his drifting spirit. By confronting the isolation of winter with its desolate landscapes and a soul burdened by solitude, Condouris finds within this frozen expanse a narrative of hope, a promise of light amidst the darkness. Only one question remains until the end of this collection: if alienation and despair are all this world seems to offer, how do we work our way back into connection and community? Condouris transcends isolation with unyielding clarity, embraces the scars of solitude, and offers readers a form of resilience. This collection is a testament to the human capacity for growth and redemption, reminding us that the promise of solace exists even in our darkest moments.