Saturday, August 7, 2021

The Sealey Challenge, Day Seven: The Undressing by Li-Young Lee

 

It's ironic that I chose this long-lined, rather dense selection for a Saturday, thinking I'd have more time to read it. As it turned out, I had far less reading time during the day than usual today and ended up finishing it quite late. I admit that I struggle with Lee. I read Rose during my MFA program and remember having the same difficulty explaining why I am not smitten by his work. There is something about his poems that I find elusive: an airiness, I think. Perhaps I don't give him the time needed to "get" his poetry - certainly today's reading didn't help in that area. Or perhaps he is too philosophical and abstract for my liking. This work is extremely powerful, and I feel great respect for the magnitude of what he has done. But I am sure The Undressing was meant to be consumed slowly and thoughtfully, not in an intense same-day marathon session. 




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