Swoop: Poems

I have been a fan of Leithauser for a while now and bought the book to help me write an essay about her poetry.What I enjoy the most about her work is that beneath the play and the fun there is an ironic response to the world that rests under her careful constructs. It has been interesting to scrape away a bit of the mask and find a woman who is commenting on life while maintaining the sort of distance that bamboozles most of us into thinking it's light and a little old fashioned (like the triolet, Was you ever bit, and O, She Says).Leithauser is neither light or old fashioned. She is contemporary and smart, a little cynical yet fun.Take time to look carefully at the voice she's constructed and enjoy this book on different levels.It's worth the effort.

Hailey Leithauser's first book, Swoop, is a purple coneflower of poetry. The music of E. E. Cummings abounds. The lyricism of modern poetry sounds splendid.Her vocabulary astounds. She is not afraid to challenge our use of the dictionary. Several poems stand out; notably "Extreme Season: Dolor," "Shoot Out at the So-So Corral," "Sex Circumspect," "Bad Sheep," "The Old Woman Gets Drunk with the Moon" and "Boys of L.A.".The conclusion of "Extreme Season: Dolor" is exemplary: "...the dusk-dim walk on boot-rung path, the dark and covert earth, the moon a great and yellow clock, the warren, pen, the cellar, shed and north-faced porch, the sere and barren garden locked." It makes the book worthwhile.Allen Hagar

Ms Leithauser writes in a very unusual and delightful fashion. The unique viewpoint will delight most readers. I truly have enjoyed it.

Now this is what I call entertainment. Poems don't always just tell stories. Some like these just blow you out of the bubble.

Product as advertised.

Good poetry is usually edifying, but it isn't always fun. I get the sense that this poet had a blast writing these poems, which take full advantage of word play, aggressive rhymes, and playful rhythms. In fact, I've never read another book quite like it.