Book Review: Four Reincarnations by Max Ritvo
My genes are in mice, and not in the banal way that Man’s old genes are in the Beasts.
Max Ritvo was diagnosed with terminal cancer at age sixteen. Aggressive treatment put him into remission for some years, but the Ewing’s sarcoma came back during his senior year at Yale. During this time, he became a noted poet; Tom Waits was a big fan, I am told. Mr. Ritvo lived long enough to see advance copies of this book. but passed in August of 2016.
Mr. Ritvo’s cancer and his impending death are pervasive themes in his poetry, but are not the only things he writes about. He speaks of his love for his wife (sometimes in disturbing imagery), and moments of joy he has had.
This Milkweed Editions volume is handsome; the cover takes from his poem “Holding a Freshwater Fish in a Pail Above the Sea.” It’s a fine tribute to the author, and would look good on your shelf.
However, all the poems in the book are the modern poetry I don’t “get.” I honestly can’t tell if these are good or bad, and don’t feel any emotional connection to the work. Thus I cannot recommend this book to the casual reader; you will need to consult the opinions of people who actually know what they are talking about.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in a giveaway; no other compensation was offered or requested.
Update: here’s a video of Mr. Ritvo reading his work.
