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newsfromnowhere | the
poetry room | write us Many of James Baker Hall's poems are concerned with the recovering of a "blasted childhood," as he puts it, "without the aid of much memory." In reading his poetry we can find ourselves in a strange trance that makes the poem seem like our own memory. We become involved—as when learning a piece of music. Somehow we want, more than usual, to pay attention. That's his gift to us. Our gift back to him and to ourselves is to slow down enough to "get" these poems. That the detail is so finely observed in all his poetry may come from the fact that Hall was first, and continues to be, a photographer. He taught photography for awhile at MIT and, as a contributing editor to Aperture magazine, wrote the texts for Ralph Eugene Meatyard and Minor White: Rites & Passages. The poems are presented here along with some of his photographs as a work in progress or as a sort of collage. Each page links to the next usually by clicking on the photo. All color photos are from Hall's exhibit at the University of Kentucky Art Museum entitled: Orphans in the Attic. To read exerpts from the catalog that accompanied the exhibit, which has great information about the artist, click here. Sarabande Books has an interview, reviews and other information on their site. Wind Magazine also has an excellent interview. Jim recently launched his own photography site at: www.jamesbakerhall.com. Enter the series of poems and
photographs. Hall's books include: THE TOTAL LIGHT PROCESS (2004) published by The University Press of Kentucky. An amazing photo by Jim graces the cover. PRAEDER'S LETTERS (2002) published by Sarabande Books. THE MOTHER ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD (1999) published by Sarabande Books. The book is beautifully designed and features one of his photographs on the cover. FAST SIGNING MUTE (1994). STOPPING ON THE EDGE TO WAVE (1988) published by Wesleyan University Press. HER NAME (1981) published by Pentagram Press. GETTING IT ON UP TO THE BRAG (1975). This work is used with the permission of James Baker Hall. |
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