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In a sentence, the phrase " for instance" follows an assertion or argument, and precedes a series of examples. Eli Goldblatt gives us myriad examples unconnected to a thesis, except insofar as the thesis asserts what is. This is a world composed of bombings, wars, bad history, framed in a private space of family, garden and dreamwork (which often takes us back to all the bad histories). In a larger sense, the book is an elegy-- for his dear friend Gil Ott, and for a world where fascists lose. But " even in Barcelona, Franco won." " War grows" in the poet's mind, erupting in museums and in his son, who " emerges into the sunlight stabbing, punching, blasting his enemies." Words are like tattoos; they scar. The poet craves " a language beyond all this talk, / words erupting beneath words that evict / or seduce, dominate or sell." Goldblatt's book offers a public and private MRI; we do not yet have the results, so we can only hope for the best. Our best consolation may be that we have this map of one poet's decency and care. Susan M. Schultz
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Eli Goldblatt's poems have appeared over the last forty-five years in small literary journals such as Hambone, 6ix, Louisiana Review, and Another Chicago Magazine. His poetry collections include FOR INSTANCE (Chax Press, 2019), SESSIONS (Singing Horse Press,2001), SPEECH ACTS (Chax Press, 1999), and WITHOUT A TRACE (Chax Press, 1991). His children's books are Leo Loves Round and Lissa and the Moon's Sheep. His books on composition and literacy include Writing Home: A Literacy Autobiography and Because We Live Here: Sponsoring Literacy Beyond the College Curriculum. He has collaborated with his wife Wendy Osterweil on children's books, broadsides, and other poetry/print projects over the years. For both collaborations with Wendy and Michael Moore, his poems arose as a response to their art work. He is Professor Emeritus of English at Temple University and formerly director of New City Writing, an institute focused on community literacy in North Philadelphia.
