Horizon Note (The Brittingham Prize in Poetry, Ronald Wallace, General Editor)

Rating:
Summary: The real thing
Review: Behn's new book is magnificent. Poem after poem, hear such clarity of complication, such intelligence, such heart. If this book doesn't win ALL the prizes, I'll be surprised. On the other hand, it's a book that in all good ways doesn't seem to care about prizes. It's ambition has some eternity in it. Any serious reader of poetry will cherish this book.

Rating:
Summary: Speaking of Music
Review: The opening poem of Horizon Note introduces a spider who reappears at intervals throughout this book. The speaker states,
"If you play the fat black note of her body/anywhere upon her intricate staff/it only sounds like her." And the word-music Behn composes within this compelling book only sounds like her.
She has all her poetic instruments in tune. Through rhyme or playful word trills or long melodious movements of thought and sound, she playfully and painfully pushes words to their limits to confront and question their beauties and their frailties. Behn is a maestro here who understands the power of language, and at every turn--even in its griefs, its failings--she finds the music there. A stunning collection of poems.