Bookish Thoughts: Paradise Drive by Rebecca Foust

Dusk mud flats mottled silver, mauve, five shades 
of taupe. Air barrel-aged in live oak
and madrone. Phoenix Lake's green jewel. ~ Opening of Paradise Drive

Paradise Drive by Rebecca Foust

Press 53, 2015

Poetry; 114 pgs

About the book: 

Paradise Drive links 80 sonnets in a narrative about a modern Pilgrim on a journey from rust belt Pennsylvania to the glittering suburbs of Marin County, California. The book takes great pleasure in questioning, tinkering with, and ultimately exploding the sonnet form. 

Of the three poetry books I read last year, this is by far my favorite. I liked the way each of the poems was connected to the other, telling the story of a character we only know as Pilgrim. The language and style of each poem was lovely in every way. I had not intended to read this book in one sitting, but I did. And then I read it again, more slowly later.

Cowed by all those straight white teeth,
Pilgrim ran for the bathroom, not for coke
as others supposed, but for something
more covert and rare: a book,
or any bit of anything written. ~ Excerpt from "Cocktail Party"

Rebecca Foust's poems are set in the here and now, dealing with first world problems. From poverty to wealth. She takes on issues of today, something I would not have generally associated with a sonnet (but then, my knowledge of poetry and its nuances is quite low). There is talk of war and terrorism, birth and raising a child with autism, grief and death, marital issues and drugs, among other issues. The sonnets are often filled with dry humor, sadness, and share a reality I found myself relating to easily. Our Pilgrim is a reader too, like so many of us. Hiding in the bathroom with a book at a party . . . Who among us hasn't wanted to do that (maybe we have!)? As I read, Foust's voice wound around me, enveloped me, and I was lost in its beauty and thoughtfulness.

The opening sonnet, "Paradise Drive" moved me with its imagery, while others touched me in different ways. I could relate to the "The Truth", which is about the Pilgrim's father, "He was false and flawed and still someone's god . . ." It made me think of my own dad and the life he had led when he was alive. The sonnet "Troth" brought back memories of my dog Riley, of sitting with him in those final moments, remembering our life together:

I'm on my knees, now, leaning in. He turns
his head, smells me. He tastes my face. ~ Excerpt from "Troth"

One of my favorites of her sonnets is "Je Est Un Autre" in which the Pilgrim finally meets someone she can talk to at the party, someone who seems to have similar interests, ". . . What a relief not to be all alone, how wonderful to agree on so many things!" The twist at the end is really what makes the poem for me.

I do not know enough about poetry, much less the sonnet, to understand how the author has reinvented the sonnet as I saw mention of in one synopsis I read several weeks ago. I hadn't even realized there were so many different styles of poetry out there until I looked up the definition of a sonnet. I am not an expert in poetry nor even a regular reader of it (although I write it on occasion). But I do know I was impressed by this collection to the point of being moved and delighted by it.

To learn more about Rebecca Foust and her work, please visit the author's website.

I hope you will check out what others had to say about Paradise Drive on the Poetic Book Tours route:

January 1: Eva Lucia (review)

January 5: Everything Distils Into Reading (review)

January 6: Jorie Loves a Story (review)

January 7: I’d Rather Be at the Beach (review)

January 9: Eccentric Everything (review)

January 9: Eccentric Everything (interview)

January 11: Musings of a Bookish Kitty (review)

January 13: Diary of an Eccentric (Video post)

January 15: True Book Addict (review)

January 20: I’m Lost in Books (video post)

January 25: Emma Eden Ramos (review)

January 26: Bookgirl’s Nightstand (video post)

January 27: Necromancy Never Pays (review)

January 28: Suko’s Notebook (review)

January 30: Create With Joy (review)

January 30: Absurd Book Nerd (review)

Many thanks to the Poetic Book Tours for the opportunity to be a part of this book tour. Review copy provided by the author for an honest review.

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© 2015, Wendy Runyon of Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved. If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.