Bone Map: Poems (National Poetry Series)

I was originally assigned "Bone Map" for a poetry workshop class, but Ms Johnson's writing is so effective in its poetic movements, lyricism, and insights that I have since sought out her other works.If you aren't used to sitting down and reading a whole book of poems, I would recommend "Bone Map" for its cohesiveness, which is both one of its strengths and one of its flaws. The poems flow seamlessly together, and one benefit of that is that it gives you as a reader more time to think along with Ms Johnson. You grow used to her language, her recurring motifs, and her 'obsessions': eyes, horses, bees, rural life, pain and love. It gets to the point where when you see another bone or deer pop up in a poem, it feels familiar. This can help readers string along the messages that accompany those motifs more easily. However, it can also be a bit confusing. Sometimes the poems, with all of their similar tones, blend together at times and it can be hard to keep each poem distinct in your mind. It almost feels like reading one long epic poem, but again, depending on what you're after, that might be just what you want.Ms Johnson makes great use of narratives, and is a great story-teller throughout "Bone Map". She incorporates both tales we are all familiar with, such as "Little Red Riding Hood" in one of her more memorable pieces, "Marchen" (German for fairy tale), as well as stories you may have to flip back to the notes section to figure out, like "The Voyage of St. Brendan"."Bone Map" is a great introductory book for somebody who wants to become a real reader of poems. It is full of beautifully crafted lines, and the obsessions of Ms Johnson are universal enough that you may find them becoming your own.I look forward to reading more of Ms Johnson's work.

Breath-taking debut! These poems haunt and surprise. They speak of a shadow world at once familiar and strange. Read it, then read it again.

Johnson creates some beautiful imagery in her poems and the journey that Bone Maps took me through was gripping. Give this book a try.

Great bookwell written and inspirational

This is a beautiful book. Buy it a million times, pass it around to your friends.

Gorgeous in every way. An incredible book by an amazing poet.

Strong, vibrant, violent yet beautiful writing.

So good. So so good.

closed the book after the first poem and said to myself: holy sh*t. just wow.