A new episode of the New Books in Poetry podcast is up, in which I get to speak with Deborah L. Davitt about her new book The Gates of Never (Finishing Line Press, 2019).
Drawing on the author’s deep knowledge of classical literature, Deborah L. Davitt’s book of poetry The Gates of Never explores the intersections of myth, science, and humanity through her beautifully accessible poems, reflecting a variety of forms and linguistic styles. These poems morph between being moving, irreverent, unsettling, and erotic — offering up a richly textured collection of work.
“He writes me upside down
and backwards, so that
I hardly know myself yet,
but my hundred newly-open mouths
whisper secret meanings,
and offer atramentum kisses;
he soothes my wounds with
copper vitriol, making the words
holy and incorruptible,
incapable of fading into sepia;
yet as he kisses me, our tongues meeting,
the words spark white-fire
under my skin, the runes writhing
into new configurationsâ€
– from “Testamentâ€
You can listen to the interview here or on the podcast app of your choice.
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Wow. That is such a powerful and vivid poem. An excellent example to show of her work.
This is a portion from a longer poem. Her work is great, and she reads a couple of poems on the podcast. If you get a chance to listen to it, I’d love to hear your thoughts.