Like Something Flying Backwards: New and Selected Poems

Like Something Flying Backwards compiles selected works from C.D. Wright's previous poetry collections along with new pieces. The book spans decades of Wright's career and showcases her evolution as a poet from the American South. Wright's verses move between personal stories, observations of rural life, and meditations on relationships and memory. Her style shifts between narrative and experimental forms, incorporating both traditional poetic elements and unconventional techniques. The collection includes selections from Wright's earlier books such as String Light and Deepstep Come Shining, as well as previously unpublished work. Throughout the book, Wright maintains her distinct voice while exploring varied subjects and forms. The poems in this collection examine the intersection of place, identity, and human connection through a lens that is both intimate and universal. Wright's work challenges conventional boundaries between the personal and political, creating spaces where multiple truths can coexist.

There are not enough internet reviews to create a summary of this book. Instead, here is a summary of reviews of C.D. Wright's overall work: Readers connect with Wright's raw honesty and innovative blending of documentary and poetry. Many highlight her ability to capture Southern voices and experiences authentically, particularly in "One With Others." Readers appreciate: - Distinctive voice that mixes colloquial and academic language - Ability to tackle social issues without preaching - Unique formatting and experimental structures - Deep connection to Arkansas culture and landscape Common criticisms: - Dense, challenging writing style that can be hard to follow - Experimental formats that some find too abstract - References and context that require background knowledge Ratings across platforms: Goodreads: - "One With Others" - 4.2/5 (200+ ratings) - "Deepstep Come Shining" - 4.1/5 (150+ ratings) Amazon: - Most collections average 4.0-4.5 stars - Readers note the poetry "requires multiple readings" but "rewards patience" One reader described Wright's style as "like overhearing fragments of conversation while walking through a crowded Southern town."

Slow Lightning by Eduardo C. Corral The poems blend Spanish and English while exploring themes of identity, immigration, and sexuality through surreal imagery and narrative fragments.

Time of Sky & Castles in the Air by Ayane Kawata These poems move between microscopic observations and cosmic perspectives while maintaining a connection to lived experience and physical landscapes.

Citizen by Claudia Rankine This collection combines poetry with prose and visual elements to examine racial aggressions in contemporary American life through documentary-style observation.

The Torn First Pages by Ko Un These poems chronicle personal and political histories through short, concentrated pieces that accumulate into larger meanings about memory and resistance.

One Big Self by Deborah Luster and C.D. Wright This collaboration pairs photographs with poetic text to document Louisiana prison inmates through fragments of speech, observation, and institutional detail.

🌟 C.D. Wright received both the National Book Critics Circle Award and the Griffin Poetry Prize for her work, establishing her as one of America's most influential contemporary poets. 📚 The collection includes poems spanning three decades of Wright's career, showcasing her evolution from Southern narrative poetry to more experimental forms. 🎭 Wright's poetry often incorporates voices from various sources, including interviews, legal documents, and historical records, creating a unique documentary-style approach to verse. 🗺️ Many poems in the collection reflect Wright's deep connections to her native Arkansas and the American South, while exploring universal themes of love, loss, and social justice. 📖 The book's unusual title comes from a line in one of Wright's poems describing a hummingbird, reflecting her ability to transform ordinary observations into striking poetic imagery.