McSweeney's The Poetry Chains of Dominc Luxford: Ten Poets Pick Ten More And So On continues to be a rewarding read.
Not because every poem's a gem, but because for all of the great poems in a chain there is often an amazing link in a series of chains. From chains four to seven this standout poem is Linda Tomil Pennisi's "Doll Repair Shop."
A prose poem, "Doll Repair Shop" draws its strength from the surreal connections made between dolls wounds and various things and actions. Pennisi's placing the things and acts in brackets and prefacing each with "Think:" amplifies the power of these connections. Why? Because it doesn't just present them, but tthe imperative makes you think whatever follows the colon.
Even on repeated readings "Doll Repair Shop"'s effect hasn't lessened.
With another four links to go, "Doll Repair Shop" has a good chance of being my favourite in the collection (A. Van Jordan's comic book-inspired poem "The Atom Discovers String Theory DC Comics, June - July 1964, #13 "Weapon Watches of Chronos" being a close second).
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