''Balladz'' is a 2022 poetry collection by

Sharon Olds Sharon Olds (born November 19, 1942) is an American poet. She won the first San Francisco Poetry Center Award in 1980, the 1984 National Book Critics Circle Award, and the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry.

Knopf Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. () is an American publishing house that was founded by Blanche Knopf and Alfred A. Knopf Sr. in 1915. Blanche and Alfred traveled abroad regularly and were known for publishing European, Asian, and Latin American writers ...

. The book was a finalist for the 2022

National Book Award for Poetry The National Book Award for Poetry is one of five annual National Book Awards, which are given by the National Book Foundation to recognize outstanding literary work by US citizens. They are awards "by writers to writers".

and the

Griffin Poetry Prize The Griffin Poetry Prize is a Canadian poetry award. It was founded in 2000 by businessman and philanthropist Scott Griffin. Before 2022, two separate awards went to one Canadian and one international poet who writes in the English language. I ...

. It was also shortlisted for the T. S. Eliot Prize.

Content

The book is divided into five sections: "Quarantine", "Amherst Balladz", "Balladz", "Album from a Previous Existence", and "Elegies". Its poems feature themes such as love, family, and the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...

, among others. The "Elegies" section, bearing two parts, addresses the deaths of those whom Olds knew.

Critical reception

In a starred review, ''

Library Journal ''Library Journal'' is an American trade publication for librarians. It was founded in 1876 by Melvil Dewey. It reports news about the library world, emphasizing public libraries, and offers feature articles about aspects of professional prac ...

'' wrote "Ranging from family to mortality to social justice, the Pulitzer Prize–winning Olds (''Stag’s Leap'') continues her laserlike attentiveness to the life around her life as she crisscrosses childhood, young adulthood, and contemporary times, particularly quarantine." Some critics observed the vitality of Olds' poetry notwithstanding how long she has written poetry for. ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...

'' called the poems "a delicate reckoning" and said that Olds, after "a long writing career," still "proves triumphantly evergreen: a woman who still steps across prudishly conventional lines as playfully as a child absorbed in French skipping." Similarly, ''Sage Cigarettes'' said "These are poems in the style and theme that Olds has pioneered and perfected for a lifetime." ''Dundee University Review of the Arts'' stated "This book was published in her 80th year and serves as proof that she is still a vital and productive voice. ''Balladz'' is also as accessible and engaging as ever." ''

The Times Literary Supplement ''The Times Literary Supplement'' (''TLS'') is a weekly literary review published in London by News UK, a subsidiary of News Corp. History The ''TLS'' first appeared in 1902 as a supplement to ''The Times'' but became a separate publication ...

'' called the book "such a profound disappointment" due to its repetition of imagery ("Her mother’s unsettlingly turquoise eyes and requests for back-rubs are both brought up twice in separate poems") and its uninteresting derivation of

Emily Dickinson Emily Elizabeth Dickinson (December 10, 1830 – May 15, 1886) was an American poet. Little-known during her life, she has since been regarded as one of the most important figures in American poetry. Dickinson was born in Amherst, Massac ...

in some parts, among other reasons.

References

{{reflist 2022 poetry books Alfred A. Knopf books American poetry collections