The Sweetness of Herbert

Poetry. The English poet George Herbert (1593-1633) developed simple, auric figures and parables that chart the trajectories of hope and despair. In THE SWEETNESS OF HERBERT, his second book of poetry from Sand Paper Press, Stuart Krimko uses a wide range of formal techniques in an attempt to test the efficacy of Herbert's existential coping methods. The boredom of daily life, the almost-certain entropic effects of the passage of time, and the surprising enthusiasm that is somehow born of these conditions all come under review. No formal rock is left unturned, as Krimko uses and abuses rhyme, enjambment, syntax, and varied diction like grimy wooden playthings. References to Judy Blume, Rogaine, spring break, William Blake, Gabriel, the Commodore 64, and the poet's own name are made, exemplifying Krimko's belief that, "Even when the world is menacing, it sings."