Her poetry like her fiction is beautiful I loved getting the chance to read this collection .Will be dipping in and out and cherishing each poem.Thanks#netgalley #knopf

Margaret Atwood will always be my favorite author. That being said, 'Paper Boat' is a collection of breathtaking poems from her six decades of work as a published poet, If you are only familiar with her work though 'The Handmaid's Tale,' or even if you have not been introduced to her poetry, be prepared to be enveloped with a transcendent experience. Granted, I would enjoy anything she writes, but I find that there is a certain comfort found in the enigmatic created by Ms. Atwood, mainly because you are aware that she is along with you for the ride.

Huge book of new and selected poems from Atwood’s first published book up through 2023, so wide swaths of her life represented. Atwood is one of my favorite writers but I found her poetry a little tough…some of it just did not seem to want to let me in.

Much of her early poetry is about love. . I picture her reciting it to her beloved in various rooms of a sparsely furnished farmhouse somewhere.

Some of my favorites, and they came from throughout the book, were: “The Immigrants,” “Five Poems for Grandmothers,” “Sunset II,” Mothers,” “How to Tell One Country From Another,” “Flowers,” “The Last Rational Man,” (which I would like to send to Mitt Romney, Liz Cheney and a few others) “Songs for Murdered Sisters,” “At the Translation Conference” and “Scattering Wood.”

Habitation

Marriage is not
a house or even a tent

it is before that, and colder.

the edge of the forest, the edge
of the desert
the unpainted stairs
at the back where we squat
outside, eating popcorn

the edge of the receding glacier

where painfully and with wonder
at having survived even
this far

we are learning to make fire

And some other gems, just excerpts:

if you don’t have hands like theirs
large and capable, the hands
of plump muscular angels,
the ones that blow trumpets and lift swords.
They shift him carefully, tuck in the corners.
It hurts, but as little as possible.
Pain is their lore. The rest of us
are helpless amateurs.

A suffering you can neither cure nor enter -
there are worse things, but not many.
After awhile it makes us impatient.
Can’t we do anything but feel sorry?


Sunset, now that we’re finally in it
is not what we thought.


How much havoc this woman spills
out of herself into us
merely by being
unhappy with such finality.


On this side of the table
women do not say No.
There is a word for No, but women do not say it.
It would be too abrupt.
To say No, you can say Perhaps.
You will be understood,
On most occasions.


Where have you gone? If anywhere,
dear ones and twos and threes

Margaret Atwood's "Paper Boat: New and Selected Poems, 1961-2023" is a vivid collection that showcases her mastery of poetic craft, rich in imagery.

Throughout the work, Atwood explores themes of transformation, perception, and natural cycles, skillfully blending the surreal with the tangible to create a dreamlike yet grounded quality. This anthology demonstrates Atwood's distinctive voice, offering readers a journey through her unique perspective on the human condition, nature, and the mythic undercurrents of everyday life.

Paper Boat by Margaret Atwood is exactly what it says it is ... a collection of poems; and it'll blow you away. If you're thinking of reading this then, most likely, you already know who Margaret Atwood is. As you should. This selection of poems is beautiful, wonderful, peaceful yet chaotic, just like everything else she writes.
Best read with a cup of tea (or something stronger).

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read the ARC of this book.

I love Margaret Atwood, but I have to admit until now I had never read any of her poems. So far, my knowledge of her work only included her novels. What a joy to catch up on her poems now!
Spanning over several decades, 'Paper Boat' includes poetry old and new. A wonderful and complex collection that definitely gives you food for thought.

This book is a captivating exploration of human resilience and the complexities of relationships. The author's eloquent prose and well-crafted characters draw readers into an emotionally rich narrative. A truly compelling read that leaves a lasting impression.

I'll read anything from Atwood! A powerhouse writer. This book was a fabulous collection of her poetry. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. The cover is also stunning.

I love Margaret Atwood, and I did not know she wrote poetry-- I am a fan of her prose.
That being said, I gave it 4/5 stars because I wish I had more context into the collections and why the poems were collected and assembled in this manner. Of course, as I skimmed through Paper Boat, I was drawn to the rich imagery for which Atwood is known. In 'The Immigrants,' she describes the hardship of early settlers and doesn't shy away from the more grotesque. Another favourite of mine is 'A Soul, Geologically,' about place and yearning for a lover. For new and selected poetry, of course the editor will pick the most famous and rich-- but I suppose I just wanted to know the thought process behind the curation was (that's all.)

Would recommend as a primer to Atwood poetry, with the caveat that if you're new to her poetry (like me,) you may need some self-education and research ahead of time, since the book doesn't provide much context.

I thought I’d love these poems but I found them obscure and confusing. They are the cryptic, intellectual type of poetry that editors love, but I personally did not enjoy them so I won’t be publicly reviewing the book.