The Lichtenberg Figures

Lerner's explorations of balancing both humorous and elegiac tones, very lose and fractal concepts within a loose sequence of sonnets work here. Lerner's unnumbered and unnamed sonnets are not linear but built on each other in both topical and tonal dialogue. The effects are disorienting and alienating, but the seemingly random patterns are ordered in a way that creates art like the referenced patterns of Lichtenberg figures. Like other poets who write in sequences that can be rich in both personal, historical, and literary allusions such Michael Palmer, people will tend to react strongly to this work because of what it demands of them.

Es sind außergewöhnliche, interessante Texte.Sie haben eine ganze eingene Logik, oft mit einem interessanten Dreh. Sie fordern auf, dieeigenen Denkbahnen zu hinterfragen, bringen dadurch Bewegung in's Sehen, Wahrnehmen ,Denken.Schade, daß er in unserem Literatrurbetrieb so wenig bekannt und präsenr ist. Günter Flegel

I'm so glad I was introduced to the poetry of gifted Ben Lerner earlier this summer! His witty, poignant, beautiful wordscapes linger long after these spare poems are read. I was happy to buy his novel 'Leaving the Atocha Station' and would give it five stars as well.

Ben Lerner is my favorite poet of the last decade. This is a good place to start with his work. It's current without being gimmicky and the vocabulary will have you joyously reaching for the dictionary.

Thought provoking. Lyrical. Brilliant.