Cheryl Dumesnil
Winner of the 2008
Agnes Lynch Starrett Poetry Prize
About In Praise of Falling:
Enacting the Zen proverb, "Fall down seven times, get up eight," the poems in this collection address the ways in which we fall—through disillusionment, disappointment, or plain, old-fashioned mistakes. And they address the ways we rise up—out of personal debacles, unfortunate circumstances, family legacies, and collective struggles.
Praise for In Praise:
"In Praise of Falling is, indeed, a book of praise, one that celebrates the world's gifts with an awareness of its dangers. In the title poem, Dumesnil finds beauty even in 'that inedible nut, the green globe turning.' Falling, yes, but still aloft—that's where the poet captures these keenly observed narratives."
Kim Addonizio
"In poems that 'keep us alive by recording / all our details right,' Cheryl Dumesnil passionately and at times irreverently approaches the consequences of desire, knowing that 'sometimes / looking closer lets us love something / more.' Confucius and Karen Carpenter may ghost through these poems, but autistic children and the selfless community of women spark 'the unspoken wondering / if any one of us is safe.' The poems remain celebratory, though, because their eloquent yet unassuming gestures 'raise us / up from the depths, silver, glimmering.' In Praise of Falling is a debut of extraordinary transparency and generosity."
Michael Waters
