This, folks, is a damn fine book of poetry. Michael Ondaatje covers tragedy, booze, dogs, sex, and several more themes, with some of the most beautiful and hilarious language that is simple yet complex, tender yet profound, and overall masterful in its clarity, concision, and rhythm. Not to mention that the title poem is THE poem to give to that somebody with whom you're looking to share your life - forget all your Brownings and Rossetties. This one is a must.

Going to come back to this one: I think it deserves it.

Now I know why his books read like poetry.

I've tried reading poetry again and again without much sucees. But this one took a total grab on me with its story and beauty.

I hadn't read poetry in a while but reading this selection of poems made me rediscover the beauty that only poetry can convey. These poems about love, heartache, and life can connect strongly to many powerful emotions in the readers making the words all the more valuable. Each poem wishes for different outcomes and circumstances that it really feels like you are living a person's life through many years and experiences.

Just so lovely

Another reviewer put it right--this book is labored, & I do not believe the labor was intended to be seen. Yes, tp"The Cinnamon Peeler's Wife" is lovely if not exquisite, but I find Ondaatje's strength lies in prose.

Killer, original poetry. This is poetry about friendship, love and artistic leanings. I LOVE it and read the book over and over. A Liz recommendation! This is one of those books you come back to again and again - an immense comfort and reminder about your connections to your family, friends and community.

Popsugar 2020: A book set in a country beginning with a 'C'

Poetry is weird. Hard to rate a poetry book collectively, cause there may be like a series of 4-5 poems that do nothing for me. Then one or two which just floor me. I still don't fully understand if I'm doing it right. I don't know exactly what this poetry style is, but I don't think it is for me, as it was a struggle to get through this sometimes (is it possible to read poetry as leisure? Or does it always have to be cerebrally/emotionally taxing?). Still, I continue my exploration unabated.

I got really into Ondaatje in high school. I'm intrigued by novelists who are also poets. I enjoy him equally well in both mediums.

And that is all this writing should be then.
The beautiful formed things caught at the wrong moment
so they are shapeless, awkward
moving to the clear.

This deserves four big stars. This is a spectrum of approaches. the early clings to the autobiographical, think Running in the Family. Matters evolve from there, perhaps straddling a disputed border between Wallace Stevens and Frank O'Hara. His precarious presence is only further endangered by being an exile, several times over. Thus living in Canada he sounds like Jim Harrison, especially with alcohol and violence. there are experiments with meter and prose poems which are just gorgeous.
I was duly impressed.