City Eclogue

"She know the form, her tongue's just sharp and short of"
That's the opening quote from Stand in Invocation, the fist poem in the book "City Eclogue".  (Note, I'm not sure if the book or the poem is supposed to be italicized when referencing it.  I'm just guessing so you can correct me if I'm wrong.)  Anyway, this poem hits some interesting points with it's details.  It's not so much visual imagery, but it's really more the way the words add a tone to the poem.  The quote from the top of the page makes it seem really angry and bitter, yet right above that line the two "ould've"'s in a row give it almost a tone more of lament and self-loathing.  By bringing to mind phrases like "should've" or "could've" or "would've", Ed Roberson can bring to mind a feeling of regret and lament.  Details like that don't bring to mind a particular physical space, but they do associate with intense feelings.  Also, the fact that the two "ould've"'s are off in their own section of poem in the layout, adds excellent effect and detail.  That layout of the poem adds a feeling of loneliness along with all the other sad, angry and bitter feelings.

Idyll is the next poem that really stuck with me, particularly because of the way the poem made me think of specific places.  My sister was lucky enough to go to college in Chicago.  I'm still kinda bitter about that.  But anyway, I used to go visit her semi-frequently.  It was really cool because the dorms and apartments that her college used were usually high rises.  That's the image I had in my head after reading Idyll.  "Out on silence, a ledge" reminds me of one of her apartments in particular because out of her window was  a little courtyard that didn't have railings around it.  It was basically just a really big ledge.  Also the line "the more people, the more lidded certain sound" reminds me of looking out of one of her windows and seeing so many people walking below, but then not really hearing anything from them.

The poem Untitled uses good visual imagery to create a scene in your mind.  In mine I was picturing an old dynasty from back in the early days.  Something like the time around the French Revolution.  Living in luxury, "a vacation of blue gown ocean".  The first part of the poem is rather peaceful.  Then in the italicized part, it all turns to chaos, as castles and cities are burned.  "As smoke dust empties the sky of its blue"  makes me think of what it must of looked like to watch protesters burn their cities down back in the old days.  Its very vivid imagery, at least to me.