Charles Jensen | Writer

Last week, as you might recall, we left Natasha Trethewey and Carrie St George Comer locked in an epic battle of strength and wits in the second match up of the Legitimate Dangers Deathmatch.

Who emerged victorious?

The answer is more complicated.

Her pick: Natasha Trethewey
My pick: Carrie St George Comer

We talked a lot about the way narratives were constructed in either poems. In Trethewey, narratives were clearly laid out within each poem, while Comer was playing more with montage and collage elements in crafting her second two poems. Naturally, I prefered the montage, kinemapoetic-esque approach, although I hated Comer’s first selection in the book. I enjoyed Trethewey’s work, even if I felt the poems represented weren’t especially risky. Powerful, yes. The complexity of her crown of sonnets transcended its form—I mean, you could only tell it were a crown if you thought to look, so cleverly hidden is the form.

In any case, both poets’ work was compelling enough for me to feel interested in reading more of their work. She recommended I pick up Belloq’s Ophelia—Trethewey, like me, she said, is a project-based poet.

Next week: Suji Kwock Kim aka “The Enforcer” takes on G. C. “Man Without a Face” Waldrep.