The Tender Wild Things, by Diane Jarvenpa, and Nude in Winter, by Francine Sterle: Book Reviews

by Nathan Bergstedt

The Tender Wild Things, by Diane Jarvenpa, and Nude in Winter, by Francine Sterle, are two books of poetry by Minnesota women authors that delve deep in the realm of descriptive language. Though the topics at the root of their writing; their muse, if you will, are worlds apart.

Jarvenpa, whose grandparents emigrated from Finland, uses touches of her ancestral culture, and the aspects that join that culture with the one we now live, as fresh fodder for unfolding her poems. On each page she paints a picture of her personal world; what she sees and experiences, and how these elements have shaped her as a person. She acknowledges our overall relationship to the natural world, and presents in her poems our collective desire to seek and harvest (that is, to make our own, and hopefully become part of) the tender wild things of the world.

Just as imaginatively, Francine Sterle, in her book Nude in Winter, attempts to blur the lines between visual and written art by presenting this series of poems about, well, visual art. As a translator has to interpret writing from one language in order to put it into a new one, so does Sterle with these poems, though their original language was never written. But unlike a true conceptual series, the poems vary from describing a particular work of art, to some that are about the artists themselves. Nothing necessarily wrong with that, and it can certainly make for stronger individual poems. But it does take away from what could’ve been a stronger central idea that the book on the whole seems to be about.

But with great honesty to her subjects, she molds the style of each poem to best suit the mood of the referenced piece. She writes not just with words, but also with structure, and with wonderful results.

Both of these books are rich with poems written by observers. Whether the subjects involve the natural world and how we try to immerse ourselves in it, or whether they’re objects of previous artistic thought and emotion, both books offer an opportunity to view the world through the author’s eyes. Which one you read depends on what you want to see.

The Tender Wild Things is published by New Rivers Press, and Nude in Winter is published by Tupelo Press.

How to... No... Why to Talk Minnesotan

by Nathan Bergstedt

When I first heard myself on KAXE, I had a realization: I truly have a Minnesota accent.
It’s funny how you can go through so much of your life and not realize that, until your voice has detached itself from your body, and you simply hear it.

But the first thought that ran through my head upon hearing myself speak about the ironic twist of fate in a 2005 Texas constitutional amendment was, “I never thought I had an accent. Man, that’s a little embarrassing.” But then I thought, “Well, why is that embarrassing?”
There are certain badges that any regional culture wears at all times that distinguishes them from others. One of which is the art; every culture and society has developed a style of expression that is unique to themselves, deeply entrenched in the local history.

But foremost among those badges is the manner in which we speak. It’s by far the most prevalent. Try introducing an outsider to your regional art or conduct yourself in a manner typified by your culture without saying a word. It’s everywhere! And what’s more, it’s the first sign of regional culture that one is typically confronted with. The all important first impression!

Now, there are all sorts of reasons why someone would want to disguise their accent. Most common reason I’ve heard: I don’t wanna sound stupid. Do we really equate this local distinction with sub-standard intelligence? I’ve personally thought of Minnesota as being a place rich with progressive ideas and ideals, a place that’s put education on a pedestal and that’s been envied for our public school system. It’s a diverse state with enormous wild forests that lure the adventurous to them, and a double metropolis that can cater for you any food you’d want to eat, and any art form you want to experience. We are the hybrid of the country! With 10,000 lakes, we’re as comfortable on land as we are on water. And we’re as capable at handling 100 degree weather as we are 50 below.

Embarrassed by the way we speak? What truly do we have to be embarrassed about?

There are two primary ingredients that create a regional dialect: the accent, which is the manner of pronunciation of words used (eg. sa-na vs. sow-na), and the lexicon, which is the list of words that you use (eg. those popular leather mittens that we like to call ‘choppers’). For a little practical advice, if you’re truly afraid of sounding stupid, don’t go to a formal business meeting and use every folksy term you can muster from your region. But if Southerners and New Yorkers and Californians feel at peace with their dialects, and we feel comfortable with them, why can’t we be proud of our own? Maybe there’re just as many of them who feel self-conscious about how they talk. Maybe the grass is always greener on the other side. But I’d say the same thing to them. It’s certainly nothing to be embarrassed about.

So as far as how I felt after hearing myself on the radio, after I thought about it, I was ashamed for feeling embarrassed. It was just a reaction, so I’ll forgive myself. But thinking back to why I like living in Minnesota, and why for so long I’ve called it my home, I can’t think of another way I’d prefer to talk. You betcha, eh.

How about the rest of you? How do you feel about the Minnesota accent?

The Soul Thief, by Charles Baxter: Review

by Nathan Bergstedt

The Soul Thief, the latest book by Minneapolis based author, Charles Baxter, is at the same time a mystery novel and a post-modern piece of introspective literature. The story focuses on Nathaniel Mason, and his life as a graduate student and an instance 30 years later that brings him back to confront his past.

Unlike a true mystery/thriller, the story lacks much in situational propulsion, driving the story forward until you’re on the edge of your seat, dying to find out what happens next. But this is more than made up for with unique characters who, due to their contradictions to each other, keep the story flowing, as well as with Baxter’s distinctive writing style. This is not to say that there isn’t a fair amount of mystery, though. Has the elusive Jerome Coolberg successfully stolen Nathaniel’s identity? Is his life his own anymore? And why are seemingly random objects disappearing from his home, culminating to the point that all that’s left is a mattress and a single book of romantic poetry?

Much like Baxter’s other novels, the writing is filled with intriguing details, superbly painting each scene as one not just described, but one that’s been truly lived. Every page brings you closer to the characters and the things they see and feel. There is no such thing as a cookie cutter scene for Baxter. Even situations that seem mundane at first have their way of being completely defamiliarized by the end.

But what makes this book most interesting is how none of these mysteries are clear-cut. Even the question of who the book is titled after; who the soul thief is? is an open-ended question. Ultimately, the questions that can arise from this book are left with the reader after the last page. And they’re questions about self; who we are, and what is it that makes us who we are? Through the details, we can not only see what’s happening in the book, but can place ourselves there. How would we feel if we were in Nathaniel’s place? I recommending reading it and finding out for yourself.

The Soul Thief by Charles Baxter is published by Pantheon.

The Chain Letter of the Soul, by Bill Holm: Review

By Nathan Bergstedt

Minnesota poet, Bill Holm’s, latest book, The Chain Letter of the Soul, is like so many last books: a tribute to a life’s work. Holm passed away on February 25th, 2009, at the age of 65, but left behind a wealth of written art.

The Chain Letter of the Soul is a compilation of new and selected poems from previous books, such as Box Elder Bug Variations, The Dead Get By with Everything, and Playing the Black Piano. The writing in this book, though it’s called poetry, is of a clear prose style which allows one not only a gateway into his mind, but a piggy-back ride with him on his travels, be it to Iceland, China, or what it is he sees looking out the window of his home in Minnesota.

Some artists merely document & present a world image from their eyes, creating a dialogue on a topic simply by bringing it up. Holm is not afraid to take a stand and give his opinion on matters. He evokes powerful images of destruction due to industrialization of untouched wildernesses, and the tearing of one’s soul due to greed and a blind eye to injustice. Aesthetically, such poems have the tendency to feel preachy, especially if it’s a viewpoint you yourself don’t share.

Though arguably not a political poet, by lending poetic criticism of certain popular mindsets, he’s certainly a social poet. With a consciousness of the people and the world around him, he makes his observations. But at the same time he has an apparent jealously of, say, box elder bugs, or at least all things naturally content and at peace with the world.

But the most important thing about this book is its accessibility. Steadily over the past century, poems have been lumped into a classification of lofty ideals and obscure abstractions, which you need a Harvard education to begin to understand. Historically, though, poetry has been a people’s art, very often read by the fireside with the family before the invention of television or radio. Much of The Chain Letter of the Soul attempts to bring poetry back to the people, written in a language spoken simply and clearly, but still with ideas of importance and beauty. Perhaps Holm explains his style best, in his new poem “I Began the Day in My Sixty-Fifth Year.” “So I babble away to myself, always in crisp, parsable sentences, adorned with the sizable word hoard I’ve filed away from reading these thousands of books for well over half a century.”

This book is a tribute to him. But like any honest tribute, it isn’t written by a devotee gushing over him. The words are his own, as he unapologetically speaks for himself.

The Chain Letter of the Soul is published by Milkweed Editions.

Don't Mess With Texas

by Nathan Bergstedt

This state or political subdivision of this state may not create or recognize any legal status identical or similar to marriage.

That statement is the actual language used in a 2005 Texas Constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. Of course, the language used prior to this sentence was a bit more gay marriage specific, and this clause itself was supposed to be designed to make sure there were no slippery loopholes in which people could join in civil unions or domestic partnerships. Whew! Good to know that the people of Texas are willing to go the extra mile in order to preserve the tradition of marriage. Well, mission accomplished.

Funny thing is, and you don’t need me to tell you this, that that particular clause is quite clear that the state of Texas will not recognize any marriage. Let me repeat: This state or political subdivision of this state may not create or recognize any legal status identical or similar to marriage. So what does that mean? Texas has figured out a way to ban marriage altogether.

As we speak, state legislators are furiously working to overturn the clause in the amendment. After all, in the historical context of the United States, the institution of marriage isn’t something that the people are just going to want to give up.

But let’s consider what else this clause means for a moment.

Texas has very effectively, at least for the time being, created true marriage equality statewide. GLBT rights activists have been working hard to get such equality by letting everyone have the opportunity to get married. Texas, on the other hand, has thrown back the veils of concept and introduced as all to an alternative: if some of us can’t, then none of us can. Sure, for those in the GLBT community who wish to marry, Texas still isn’t the place to go. But if your primary concern is equality to your fellow man, regardless of your sexual orientation, it seems there’s one place you can go where personal rights are square across the board.

Marriage itself as an institution is a little confusing anyway. A primary tenet of the founding of this nation was the freedom of religion, and the only way to effectively do that was to separate church and state, since the influence of a particular faith in the government could conflict with the interest of another church wishing to exercise their rights. With marriage, though, religious clergy have been given the legal power to join people in lifelong partnerships recognized and enforced by the state.

But as it relates to Texas, have they not also found a way to create greater religious freedom as well? The amendment doesn’t say people can’t be joined in marriage recognized by god. It just says it won’t be recognized by the state. Therefore any and all conflicts of interest in the realm of marriage between faith-based institutions and the government are effectively severed. All of these churches can marry whoever they want now. I mean, we wouldn’t want something like the government to get their sticky, secular fingers in the way of such a sacred ritual as the bonding to two people and all their property in holy matrimony before god himself.

Maybe they should reconsider fixing this little glitch, and call it a social experiment. A world without marriage? Preposterous! Or is it? On the topic of GLBT rights, it most certainly creates a legal equality amongst all citizens, and that’s very positive, not to mention ironic due to the original intention of the amendment. But if we’re all willing to make the sacrifice of no longer creating unions between individuals, of allowing succeeding generations to have their own families recognized by state and given due rights in accordance of those familial positions, then this could be the start of a brave new world in which government has less power over its people, and has people with little legal power regarding their families, with Texas leading the way.

You can hear the recording of this essay here.