Read more: The Dollhouse Mirror: Poetry by Frank Watson
The Fine Line
Watson, in many of these poems, has found the fine line. The fine line I mean is the moment before, the blankness between living and dying, or the anticipation of doing in the state of nothing. This, I believe, is the ultimate goal of poetry. To find that mirror between reality and impossibility. Thus, “The Dollhouse Mirror” is an apt name for this collection.
For readers, I point you to poems 21, 22, 23, 38, and 39. Frank can better explain what I mean:
pausing in that
moment of light
between the steps
of now
and imagination
(p.22)
This book is a collection of micropoetry, in the style of various Japanese forms. I find that some of the poems are wordier than neccessary. I know this sounds silly when all the poems are only a handful of words in total. But consider the poem on page 15:
her robe is held
by a simple pin
but no one
will get past the sword
that protects
what’s underneath
(p.15)
The first two stanzas could be simplified:
a pin
holds her robe
no one
gets past the sword
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