Take a walk in Berlin’s Natural History Museum and learn about the stories that are dying to be told throughout this poetry collection. What a unique theme to use for science poetry that works exceptionally well. These are the stories of bones that are not ghosts haunting their spots in the museum but proof stories never do die. This is life behind the bones, behind the science, behind lives lived that some thought would remained buried forever. The prose poetry is the most prominent form throughout this collection and it really generates this epic feeling that these creatures lived.
Memories are not ghosts but an imprint in the bones for eternal adventures to be told. Poems such as “Carrion Knowledge” and “The oceanographer” really show the extent of stories that we learn through science and museums plus the significance of the work these archivists, archaeologists, and oceanographer’s do daily to advance scientific knowledge. There are many aspects of science that are informed by learning about habits from the past and how some things were more effective than others. These are stories that were waiting to be told and finally put on display. You can almost see the exhibits shining through each poem. Science poetry is much more rhythmic and free flowing through the way that Kilbourne utilizes diction here. A fun collection that I wish explored some experimental poetry forms to compliment the work being written here. Thank you Netgalley and Graywolf Publishing for this advanced digital copy.
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