Then the War: and Selected Poems, 2007–2020

Then the War: and Selected Poems, 2007-2020 combines new poetry with selections from Carl Phillips' previous collections spanning over a decade of work. The book opens with fresh poems before transitioning into portions of his lyric memoir, Among the Trees. The collection draws from seven of Phillips' earlier works, including Speak Low, Double Shadow, and Wild is the Wind. Phillips employs both free verse and prose poem formats throughout the volume, which earned him the 2023 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry. The poems explore relationships between natural landscapes and human intimacy, examining desire, power, and mortality. Through precise language and vivid imagery, Phillips contemplates the intersection of physical and spiritual experiences.

Readers describe Phillips' collection as meditative and thought-provoking, with poems that explore desire, mortality, and human relationships. On Goodreads, the book maintains a 4.37/5 rating from 100+ readers. Readers appreciated: - The precision of language and imagery - Exploration of complex themes like sexuality and power - Strong sense of musicality in the verse - Interconnected nature of the poems Common criticisms: - Some poems felt overly abstract or difficult to access - Repetitive themes and motifs throughout the collection - Dense syntax that required multiple readings A Goodreads reviewer noted: "Phillips manages to make the familiar strange and the strange familiar." Another reader commented: "His punctuation and line breaks create deliberate moments of pause that force you to slow down and consider each phrase." Ratings: Goodreads: 4.37/5 (108 ratings) Amazon: 4.6/5 (16 ratings) LibraryThing: 4.5/5 (12 ratings)

Night Sky with Exit Wounds by Ocean Vuong A collection that shares Phillips' examination of desire and intimacy through poems linking personal history to natural imagery and physical experience.

Crush by Richard Siken The raw exploration of want and power dynamics in these poems echoes Phillips' treatment of human relationships and mortality.

Native Guard by Natasha Trethewey These poems connect personal and historical narratives through landscape in ways that mirror Phillips' integration of memory and place.

What the Living Do by Marie Howe The intersection of physical and spiritual experience in these poems reflects Phillips' contemplation of mortality and embodied existence.

The Carrying by Ada Limón This collection's engagement with nature as a lens for human experience and relationships parallels Phillips' approach to landscape and intimacy.

✦ Carl Phillips was the first African American writer to win the Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award (2002), one of poetry's most prestigious and valuable prizes. ✦ The title "Then the War" references both literal conflict and internal struggles, drawing from Phillips' background as a classicist and his exploration of personal battlegrounds. ✦ Before becoming a poet, Phillips taught Latin at both high school and college levels, which continues to influence his precise, layered use of language and classical references. ✦ The prose poems in this collection mark a significant departure from Phillips' earlier work, showing his willingness to experiment with form even after establishing himself as a major voice in contemporary poetry. ✦ The "Among the Trees" section represents Phillips' first published venture into memoir-writing, blending poetry and prose to examine his relationship with nature and identity.