Rose McLarney is the poet I have been waiting for. I love poetry which astonishes me. When I learn facts from a poem, it is a blessed bonus. McLarney’s poems are deeply rooted in wondrous imaginative takes on facts.
The title, Colorfast, may refer to the fading, staining, and ephemeral quality of nature— or it may refer to how quickly life speeds by. These poems slow it down for us and directs our attention to the seldom noticed everyday events; how looking through shale with a child’s eyes or noticing the curry stains on a dish. These events transport us to larger questions. The poems cannot be quickly read; they require several readings yet are still open to interpretation or continued thought.
She captured me thoroughly, early on in this collection with her poem “Nutmeg and Mace.” She tells us that we feed our guests so that they have the nourishment to hit the road and similarly we feed our children so that they will grow too large for the house and depart us. If you have forsaken poetry, get this collection and be restored.
