A Morsel of Bread, A Knife by Roberta P. Feins 82 pages 39 poems Price: $18.00 ISBN:978-0-9990819-3-8 Publisher: Center on Contemporary Art To Order: http://cocaseattle.org or Amazon Reviewed by Michael Escoubas Poet Kahlil Gibran has written, The most beautiful word on the lips of mankind is the word “Mother.” In Roberta P. Feins’ new collection we hear a muted “not so fast” to Gibran’s widely accepted declaration. It isn’t that the poet doesn’t love her mother, to whom she dedicates this work, rather she eschews shallow sentimentality in favor of life- realism. In A Morsel of Bread, A Knife, Feins shepherds her readers on a journey beginning with childhood memories, flashbacks into life-shaping experiences of young adulthood, culminating in a mature tenacity of spirit. Structure A Morsel of Bread, A Knife is organized in four parts. They are, “The Mother Country”, “Paysage”, “The Bitters”, and “Winter’s Bargain”. Each section features a full-color artwork which informs the poems found therein. These collages in order of appearance are: Gabrielle d’ Estrées/Gestures, by David Francis; Waterfall/Nude, The Bitters, and Winter’s Bargain, all by Feins. These works are visually stimulating as well as emotion- ally compelling. Feins excels in writing ekphrastic poetry. Ekphrasis in poetics refers not only to describing the art, but at its finest, includes in-depth application to life. Throughout the collection Feins establishes a strong sense of place. The “place” in view is France where the poet lived during her youth and formative years. The poems placed me in Parisian cafes, on farms in the south of France, in the refined precincts of the Louvre viewing masterpieces by da Vinci and in the homes of Feins’ youth. Highlights From Part I, “The Mother Country”, I especially enjoyed, St. Jean de Luz, France, 1971, where I experienced Sunday morning joys of cocoa and croissants and walks into town along beaches of salt-wind and sand. In the next poem, the poet describes the contents of a closet “Under the Eaves.” This poem reveals the tensions of family life which Feins depicts with consummate skill. If you have ever rummaged about in your parents or grandparents’ secret shelves this poem is for you. Jonesin’, which opens Part II, “Paysage”, (French for countryside), is about her mother’s art. The art is a “sweet fire” which causes the impressionable youth to stand in awe. One senses not only admiration but a certain distance between the two. Throughout the collection the poet hints at this universal truth in familial relationships. I found myself thinking, “Right, I’ve been there too; I’ve lived the same thing. Continuing with familiar things, you won’t want to skip over, Aunt Sylvia’s Advice, which poignantly describes the heartache after her diary is found by the poet’s mother. The Medicine Cabinet is an apt metaphor that compares the stark differences between Feins’ parents. The poet has a remarkable aptitude for remembering small things that take on profound significance when amplified within her poems. The title poem appears in this section. A Morsel of Bread, A Knife is a heart-felt remem- brance of love experiences shared while talking with a friend at a café in Paris. In but a few lines you will know what the poet means when she writes, Others go around talking big about love but we had a morsel of bread and a knife. I hasten to add that David Francis writes a “must read” elaboration of the title poem in the Notes section at the end. Part III, “The Bitters” continues Feins’ metaphorical use of the French countryside. Three Troubadour Love Songs, makes gorgeous use of farm life to highlight aspects of love from youth into advancing years, Maiden I could not look at you without blood rising to my cheeks. Mother . . . Too soon, we will remain only as a pair of doves Crone you reach for my rough hand, bring it to your cracked lips, your stubbled, grizzled cheek, and I am smitten again my hand shaking, not with disease but with desire We are greeted in Part IV, “Winter’s Bargain” with Feins’ collage Moissac Cloister & Sword. this renowned place of worship is located at Tarn-et-Garonne in south-western France. Famous for its colonnades, exquisite sculptures and mindfulness setting, Feins uses her painting as a catalyst for her developed thought about the role of faith in life. We note the presence of a sword. The sword is almost invisible, which is part of the artist’s genius. It intersects the bottom of the colonnade extending into the head of a woman. Further reflection on this image in relation to the poems in this section was emotionally powerful for me. I felt sadness when I read Mother Muses at the Louvre, viewing de Vinci’s The Annunciation. Her mother’s loss of faith, separation of siblings and mundane things such as the theft of “Papa’s pipe,” pervade the poem. In The Alpage, we smell cheese being made and rub against sheep. We join the poet running downhill beside a “cocoa- brown stream” in With One Bird You Will Take Another. In Aunt Sylvia’s Advice, 1994, we hear a terse critique of culture’s attitude toward women. Feins’ sword has two edges, believe me, her powerful use of both edges in “Winter’s Bargain” is worth the price of the book. In this seminal collection Roberta Feins serves more than a mere morsel of bread, as lucky readers, we get the whole banquet.
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