The Solitary

Known for her distinctive style that owes much to Emily Dickinson’s brevity, this new collection by Vuyelwa Carlin is divided into four thematic sections. The opening section explores the first few years of two children, and three poems are dedicated the poet’s own adult son, Joseph, and his struggles with autism. The second section uses the mediums of music and art to understand the aging process and how memories fade among those with dementia. The third section, named for the poet's father, recalls child memories of growing up in South Africa. The collection finishes with an examination of the intense drama of one's inner life, the struggle for spiritual truth in solitude, and ultimately the tensions between good and evil conveyed with a questioning intensity.