Charles Simic has been widely celebrated for his brilliant poetic imagery; his social, political, and moral alertness; his uncanny ability to make the ordinary extraordinary; and not least, the sardonic humor all his own. Gathering much of his material from the seemingly mundane minutiae of contemporary American culture, Simic matches meditations on spiritual concerns and the weight of history with a nimble wit, shifting effortlessly to moments of clear vision and intense poetic revelation.
Chosen as one of the New York Library's 25 Books to Remember for 2003, The Voice at 3:00 A. M. was also nominated for a National Book Award. The recipient of many prizes, Simic most recently received Canada's Griffin Prize. The poems in this collection--spanning two decades of his work--present a rich and varied survey of a remarkable lyrical journey.
In the Street
Beauty, dark goddess,
We met and parted
As though we parted not.
Like two stopped watches
In a dusty store window,
One golden morning of time.
Simic’s world is one of startling contrasts:
- The Extraordinary Ordinary: From dusty store windows to a cabbage on the counter, Simic finds the profound and the surreal lurking in the most mundane corners of daily life.
- Sardonic Wit: A distinctive, dark humor that observes history’s absurdities and life’s ironies with a wry, knowing smile.
- Philosophical Depth: Poems that grapple with memory, time, and the weight of history, confronting the biggest questions in the smallest moments.
- A Lyrical Journey: A career-spanning selection gathers the best of a master’s work, showcasing the evolution of a singular and unforgettable voice.