Lives of water

the long version

"Lives of Water" by John Hoppenthaler explores a variety of subjects, with poems drawing from fishing, family, relationships, traveling, and history. Hoppenthaler effectively dissects the title of the collection, first with his opening poem of the same title and then with many of the other poems, most of which involve water or aspects of water. For example, my favorite poem in the book entitled "Farm Sitting" opens with a scene at a pond: "Christy throws a rock-/ the barn splinters / on the pond's surface." The image of the destruction of a barn by a mere stone-even if it is just the reflection of the barn-is powerful, and even followed up with: "I flick my spent cigarette / where the hayloft reassembles, / just to watch it burn." These are images the likes of which run rampant through this collection. Hoppenthaler effectively relates through scenes like these that water, the source of life, has such power to portray a whole new universe through its reflection yet at the same time is so weak to have this universe so easily become prey to a cigarette or a rock. Hoppenthaler's ability to communicate through poetry provides imagery that allows the reader to actually feel what life is like on the waterfront or in the eyes of a nine-year-old buying ice cream or as a child whose uncle just died. In general, Hoppenthaler uses excellent imagery to communicate his thoughts. For example: "a postcard / yellowing on your freezer door" from "Intercourse, PA," or "I knew you were in the den below, / that orange dot in the darkness / blooming with each intake of breath" from "Grandfather." Imagery is the most apparent strength of this collection of poetry. -- Ethershop web site, Spring 2011.