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Title details for On the Way Out, Turn Off the Light by Marge Piercy - Available

On the Way Out, Turn Off the Light

Poems

by Marge Piercy
ebook
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A bountiful group of poems—direct, honest, and revelatory—that reflect on language, nature, old age, young love, Judaism, and our current politics, from one of our most read and admired poets
"Words are my business," Marge Piercy begins her twentieth collection of poetry, a glance back at a lifetime of learning, loving, grieving, and fighting for the disenfranchised, and a look forward at what the future holds for herself, her family and friends, and her embattled country. In the opening section, Piercy tells of her childhood in Detroit, with its vacant lots and scrappy children, the bike that gave her wings, her ambition at fourteen to "gobble" down all knowledge, and a too-early marriage ("I put on my first marriage / like a girdle my skinny body / didn't need"). We then leap into the present, her "twilight zone," where she is "learning to be quiet," learning to give praise despite it all. There are funny poems about medicine ads with their dire warnings, and some possible plusses about being dead: "I'll never do another load of laundry . . ." There is "comfort in old bodies / coming together," in a partner's warmth—"You're always warm: warm hands / smooth back sleek as a Burmese cat./ Sunny weather outside and in."
Piercy has long been known for her political poems, and here we have her thoughts on illegal immigrants, dying languages, fraught landscapes, abortion, President-speak. She examines her nonbeliever's need for religious holidays and spiritual depth, and the natural world is appreciated throughout. On the Way Out, Turn Off the Light is yet more proof of Piercy's love and mastery of language—it is moving, stimulating, funny, and full of the stuff of life.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    September 29, 2020

  • Formats

    • Kindle Book

    • OverDrive Read

      • ISBN: 9780593317945

    • EPUB ebook

      • ISBN: 9780593317945
      • File size: 933 KB

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • Publisher's Weekly

      September 21, 2020
      The multifaceted 20th collection from Piercy (Made in Detroit) touches on her identities as activist, teacher, cat lover, novelist, and poet. Among other topics, the poet confronts past pain, including failed marriages, recalling matter-of-factly, “earlier husbands were mixed bags;/ domesticity had its knives, needles,/ and pillows.” She shifts from these past relationships to the sensual “heat-seeking
      missile” of her current lover: “Yes, we make love in bed and on/ the couch, but we also make love... / out of ink and kitty litter, out of hours/ and days given to each other not/ because we must but from desire.” This tone contrasts starkly with her withering critique of current American politics: “We saw the cliff ahead/ We were warned/ We took everyone over.” Yet even in this fraught political climate, Piercy celebrates the beauty of the world through the joy of her furry companions, the bounty of her garden grown from seeds that “arrive in the mail, packets of hope.” At nearly 200 pages, even the most enthusiastic readers may occasionally find themselves fatigued. However, Piercy’s collection is full of life, companionship, and the importance of advocating for others.

Formats

  • Kindle Book
  • OverDrive Read
  • EPUB ebook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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