Monday, May 10, 2010

Sonata Mulattica by Rita Dove

This collection of poems tells the story of George Augustus Polgreen Bridgewater, son of an African-Caribbean father and a Polish-German mother, who was a violin prodigy. He was briefly friends with Ludwig van Beethoven until they quarreled over a woman. The poetry is amazing; Dove gives a virtuoso performance, using many styles and many voices to tell the story. I really enjoyed both the recovery of Bridgewater's story and the amazing language Dove uses in her project. Well worth reading, and returning to.

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