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Intersect
1974
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This volume of 50 poems was
the second published, 2 years after Others. In Intersect,
Carol Shields continues to celebrate family and the
familiar with the awareness and wit that we will come
to know and love later in her short stories and novels,
while at the same time exploring the breakdowns in
human communications.
Selections from Intersect are
also included in Coming
to Canada.
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Her poems are
plain-spoken, deceptively so," her "observations of
the world proceed from a remarkably sensible appraisal
of ... persons and things ... family, ancestry, friends..."
...."Discovering the unsuspected, or, simply, the magic
of ordinary experience is Shields´ forte."
- Eric Thompson,
Canadian Literature, No. 65
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Excerpts
 DAUGHTER
We've seen
her pull spoons from empty air,
small scattered notes, absolute
as coinage,
the pewter sound
of her flute
carrying her further and further
away so that often we
lose sight of her
completely.
The rapid rising stairs
of her breath astonish
our house, and the hemorrhage
of silver, netted like fish,
falls on private ground
where we've never really
been.
OLD
MEN
First to come
the disabling treachery
of language
the slow spaced notes
of speech that detach
themselves and words that freeze
up suddenly so much for wisdom
then the surprised foliage
of age
hoarse phrases that catch
in folded throats
beg your pardon please
if you will please
excuse me allow me permit me
help me forgive me please please
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