Prayer for the Sorrowful Brain

Prayer for the Sorrowful Brain

Carol Graser, as poet-wrangler/host of the long-running Caffe Lena Poetry Night, always puts the spotlight on other poets. But, at last, we welcome her second book of her own wonderful poems. It’s a feisty and rich gathering, ranging from humorous poems (“The Appendix,” “The Pitch” or “Spooky Zoo Sunday…”) to many other tones and themes. Among my other favorites in this varied, moving collection include, “On the 6th Floor of the VA Medical Center,” “Dark Language,” and “The House,” a spare beautiful lyric asking, “Is she / standing at the mercy of the sky.” This poet has a generous heart, keen eye, and memorable ear. Her poems reflect life richly lived, all the while showing a seasoned poetic craft. Her sharply observant and wise poems inhabit the gray areas of life as they grow more complicated. She conveys particularly the fullness of family losses and comforts — sadnesses, honesty, and durable love. — David Graham , author, Honey of the Earth, co-editor, After Confession: Poetry as Autobiography Uncertainties and pain, I know those are the truths about life. But Carol Graser’s Prayer for the Sorrowful Brain helps me find strength and courage to keep going. At times heartbreaking, humorous, or surreal, Graser’s poetry commits to describing the world, whether nature or people, in some new light. Ultimately, her poetry breaks through the chaos and clatter of life and finds what came before, not poetry but the source of poetry. — Bunkong Tuon , author, Koan Khmer and What is Left Carol Graser weaves fanciful imagery with grim realities in her remarkable new collection, Prayer for the Sorrowful Brain . The poems are sorrowful, yet also witty, strange, and magical. An icicle blinks, loosens, and makes a daring leap. A car prepares to be sold bolt by bolt. A woman gives birth to a tree. The fairy tale scenes mirror real-world dramas that unfold in grocery stores, parking lots, and hospital rooms. Prayer for the Sorrowful Brain is one of those rare collections that combine heartbreak and laughter. I’m dazzled by Graser’s “dark language of miracles,” and will return to these poems again and again. — Jackie Craven , author, WHISH and Secret Formulas & Techniques of the Masters