the dream of a common language by adrienne rich

The collection literally echoes with different sections of itself, and not because the writing is repeated, but because the speaker’s voice is so prominent throughout the book. The emotions fused into each line generates a kind of echoing cry that reaches into the next poem and the one after it. But it’s not just the writing itself that’s beautiful, it’s the poems and their many facets brought together to make a complete jewel.

It’s astonishing to me how a writer can so effortlessly weave these subjects together, creating some of the most beautiful poems I have ever read. This collection unabashedly discusses same-sex love between women, even more so as the collection advances, while also navigating themes of the natural world, compassion, violence, and politics. It’s rare for me to find a book – poetry or otherwise – that makes me want to devour it in one sitting, but this book is certainly one of them. I’ve known of her for years and I’ve read some of her poems before in different literature classes, but never have I sat and absorbed this much of her poetry at once. But sometimes that’s all there is to do.This was the first collection I’ve ever read of Adrienne Rich. I’m still not sure how to review this, other than to recount my experience as positive, that some of the poems hit me in the solar plexus while others skimmed over the surface of my mind. It was also helpful to see someone else’s analysis of themes in this overtly feminist work. We didn’t always agree on favorite phrases, but I found myself appreciating their choices. I’m glad that it was there, it provided a dialogue I wouldn’t otherwise have with the poems. My library copy included marginalia from some previous reader’s experience with the book.

I don’t know if the fact that the poems held within The Dream of a Common Language were written between 19 makes them easier or more difficult to comment on, but there is enough of the broader human experience to give the reader plenty to think on. As I started I thought to myself, yes I can see turning back to these poems night after night while sitting near a campfire. It’s under a hundred pages and the opening page hits with a wallop. I can understand why this was a book that Strayed kept with her on the Pacific Crest Trail. The Dream of a Common Language is the first one of 2023 for me (I have at least one other poetry collection on my TBR for the year) and while I’ve known about its existence since I read Cheryl Strayed’s Wildback in 2012, it took a Read Harder task to get it in my hands. Poetry is a genre that I have a terrible time reviewing but in my personal quest to keep reading the genre – and not give up on it – I find myself trying to about once a year.

The dream of a common language by adrienne rich