THE YELLOW ROOM

by Donald Hall ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 28, 1971

In Donald Hall's fifth book of poems the only three particularly worth reading are ""Three Times, To Find My Body,"" ""The Trolley Has Stopped Long Since,"" and ""Taste Cold,"" which is quoted herewith in its entirety: ""Taste cold/ as if you ate stone./ Wear cold/ as a skin/ to keep in the blood,/ the pulse/ of the spirit which digs/ itself a hole, leaves/ and dead grass/ loosely together above it,/ against the snow."" The Trolley poem is, by the way, a revision of one that appeared in an earlier book. Many others, trying to be whimsical or cool (qualities that don't come across), are either too prosy, too full of explanations, or too plain pedestrian. Possible exceptions are three or four rather painful poems describing unhappy aspects of a love affair that have a certain impact and drama. It is a meager yield.

Pub Date: April 28, 1971

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Harper & Row

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 1971

Categories: NONFICTION