BOOK REVIEW
“The questions answers hold no promise of ever being known.”
Palm Lines, has a great poetic flow creating a masterpiece over the heartfelt poems in which speak to a transformative journey, written by Jonathan Koven.
There’s a sense of seeking hope, longing then finding love, honoring family, which is all written with gratitude making it a pleasant read from beginning to end. Koven is a great storyteller in poetry form creating well thought out pieces split into three parts of this chapbook.
Koven provides a fresh tale of themes of nature and love in this contemporary romantic collection of poems. Every piece stands out in their own right, and fits perfectly in the book in a beautiful manner.
In a sense, Palm Lines, is thematically cohesive and met with diversity. It’s truly an outstanding debut written with courage and emotion. As Koven reaches outward for meaning, there’s a sense he’s also reflecting back on his life thus far seeing the story come together wonderfully.
Informing the reader with his balance between nature and humanity, there’s a freshness to his writing, although some parts feel familiar. While including mindfully chosen artwork that beautifully accompanies his poetry, it’s truly an epic and satisfying chapbook that is emotionally driven and beautifully written.
Jonathan Koven grew up on Long Island, NY, embraced by tree-speak, tide’s rush, and the love and support of his family. He holds a BA in English and Creative Writing from American University, works as a technical writer, and is Toho Journal’s head fiction editor and workshop coordinator. He lives in Philadelphia with his best friend and future wife Delana, and cats Peanut Butter and Keebler. More of his short fiction and poetry are featured or forthcoming at Cathexis Northwest, Lindenwood Review, Night Picnic, Iris Literary, and more. His debut poetry chapbook Palm Lines is now available from Toho Publishing.
Words by Danielle Holian
INTERVIEW
Tell us a bit about your writing background.
I've been writing for as long as I can remember. I've always been passionate about literature and art--film, music--it's who I am. I've always enjoyed writing and participating in workshops, sharing my work, reading other artists' work. I was always inspired by art creating a pathway--to understanding, to empathy, to confrontation, to healing, to discovery--and the list goes on. After college, I started focusing more on actually developing my craft and body of work, and (eventually) submitting for publication. I wrote a fiction novella titled Below Torrential Hill, which has been excerpted, but hasn't found a home yet. I'm grateful to say I've had three short stories published ("The White Wolf Dreams," "Laila," and "Gabriel's Dream"), among a handful of poems in journals and magazines. Palm Lines is the first book I've ever published, and I couldn't be happier with it.
What, or who, inspired you to start writing?
I think it's always been part of me, this desire to express myself--and to grow through this expression. As for preference, in fiction, I love modernist writers (Virginia Woolf, James Joyce, Clarice Lispector). I love magical realism (Haruki Murakami, Jonathan Safran Foer). I love stream-of-consciousness, lyrical and imagistic beauty, existential reflection, sublime prose (Ocean Vuong, Zora Neale Hurston, Walker Percy). I love dense and rich characters that I come to know inside and out (John Irving, Carson McCullers, James Baldwin). All this, I aspire to in my own writing. As for poetry, I'm a big fan of Mary Oliver, John Ashbery, William Carlos Williams, Walt Whitman, Sylvia Plath, and more.
And what influenced your chapbook poetry collection ‘Palm Lines'?
Many of the poems from Palm Lines were "born" years ago, and have grown and changed as I've grown. It's been an interesting process conversing with the poems, and allowing them to converse with each other--if you catch what I mean. These poems have developed patiently, as I've grown as a person myself. I wanted this retrospective quality to carry throughout the collection; for the reader to be reading from a kind-of timeless space, where there's reminiscing of the past and an eye to the present and future. I hope that makes sense, haha.
Your work speaks to a transformative journey "to rediscover love as both a question and an answer" - why was it important to you to be so candid in your writing?
I want my art to move others, even if the exact meaning eludes them, and I feel the only way I can do that is by confessing--by digging deep inside myself and sharing with my readers my most terrifying and beautiful discoveries. I want to get on the level of questioning why I'm here, why I am who I am, and what I can give back--and I can only hope it means something to my readers.
You included some art pieces in this book, why did you add art with your poems when separating the chapters?
In palmistry, the art of palm reading, there is the Life Life, for one's journey; the Heart Line, for one's relationships with others and oneself; and the Head Line, for one's knowledge and mentality. The poems are organized thematically, according to these palm lines. The (beautiful) illustrations are by my incredibly talented friend Tyler Lentini, who was gracious enough to share his work with me. I found his impressionist style to fit the aesthetic direction of the poems, occupying a dreamy space between nature and consciousness.
And finally, what advice would you give to aspiring writers?
Believe in your work. Find what makes you different, what makes you hurt, what makes you hopeful--and write from there. Don't be afraid to share and fail and share again. And never write tediously; always write like your soul is at stake.
Grab a copy of Palm Lines, here.