Forthcoming FromTwilight Times Books, America
&
Alyscamps, Paris
(for goodness’ sake)
new poems by
Sadi Ranson-Polizzotti
In his introduction to Sadi Ranson-Polizzotti’s new book of poems entitled (for goodness’ sake), Chris Madoch notes that Ranson’s latest book reads like “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” meets “In Cold Blood.”
Here is book of poetry that is, by turns, both daring and delicate. It is, as the cover image suggests (a woman’s exposed neck thrown back and lain bare before us), a work of honesty and surrender, rendering both the narrator and the reader exposed and vulnerable. Ranson-Polizzotti’s writing borders on the recklessly-honest. The choice she offers us: do we go for the jugular and slit her throat or do we offer a kiss and a caress?
Whichever we choose, she is yielding. She is “sapling green”, as she notes, “I am growing.” Always, there is a choice, and if we will not make it, the narrator is quite clear, she will make it for us.
The writing here touches on all of the senses and hits the high note, taking it’s cue from Yeats, reaching, yearning and beckoning to us with all the tastes and sounds and smells of the different seasons as we navigate our world and our lives. This is done spoken almost spoken in one giant mind-breath of prose-poetry reminiscent of Ginsberg with lyrical touches of John Ashbery and other New York School poet influences and more that intertwine like a partita in Ranson’s writing. Still, like Capote, while Ranson has drawn on her influences, and her work is fully owned and occupied by her.
As she writes in the poem *P.S.,
“I occupy this space now.
X. marks the spot.
The next move will be mine.”
