Remarkably an entire collection of poems about Olds' experience of coping with a divorce. (Divorce seems almost a too-harsh word to use to describe the lyrical pain she conveys in her poems.) Remarkable, because the poems (sorted in a roughly chronological order) stand out as individual pieces, complete with uniquely vivid imagery and emotions. As a volume of confessional poetry, it is almost startling to have such an intimate glimpse into the poet's inner world, but that is perhaps what makes it so vivid and memorable. Edgy, raw, unashamedly confessional poetry. Well crafted, as you would expect from Sharon Olds and, for me, slightly uncomfortable because of the open rawness, the energy and anger in many of the poems and my awareness that she is spilling not only her unwashed life across these pages, but also the lives of her family and, in particular, the ex-husband. Whilst applauding the poems, the sense of voyeurism gives me a sense of unease, but then again, every oyster needs its grain of dirt to shape a pearl.
Do You like book Stag's Leap: Poems (2012)?
Always been a fan of Olds' work and this collection doesn't disappoint.
—Judy
Profound and personal, but at the end I couldn't help but feel "meh."
—Osaze360
a book of poems chronicling the death of a marriage, shattering...
—Ricabebe
I love poetry. I adore Sharon Olds...
—buttercup7133
