Slight Return
In her new collection, renowned publisher and poet Rebecca Wolff voyages in the myopia of American consumer consciousness—erotic regard, spiritual FOMO, gentrification, branding—without destination. 

Labyrinthine in their paradoxical musings and incisive in their witty recriminations, these poems grapple with the hubris and dysmorphia of the soul. Wolff is a poet that is unafraid to be a querent, not only of sages (“I only hang out with people / who are psychic / anything else is a / waste of precious / continuity”) but of language itself (“How else is one to know how to proceed / How is one to make a motion against— / electric word life”) In Slight Return, the journey is infinite and elusive—aspiring in the best way toward a point of diminishing returns and withholding any promise of a comfortable landing.

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Slight Return
In her new collection, renowned publisher and poet Rebecca Wolff voyages in the myopia of American consumer consciousness—erotic regard, spiritual FOMO, gentrification, branding—without destination. 

Labyrinthine in their paradoxical musings and incisive in their witty recriminations, these poems grapple with the hubris and dysmorphia of the soul. Wolff is a poet that is unafraid to be a querent, not only of sages (“I only hang out with people / who are psychic / anything else is a / waste of precious / continuity”) but of language itself (“How else is one to know how to proceed / How is one to make a motion against— / electric word life”) In Slight Return, the journey is infinite and elusive—aspiring in the best way toward a point of diminishing returns and withholding any promise of a comfortable landing.

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Slight Return

Slight Return

by Rebecca Wolff
Slight Return

Slight Return

by Rebecca Wolff

Overview

In her new collection, renowned publisher and poet Rebecca Wolff voyages in the myopia of American consumer consciousness—erotic regard, spiritual FOMO, gentrification, branding—without destination. 

Labyrinthine in their paradoxical musings and incisive in their witty recriminations, these poems grapple with the hubris and dysmorphia of the soul. Wolff is a poet that is unafraid to be a querent, not only of sages (“I only hang out with people / who are psychic / anything else is a / waste of precious / continuity”) but of language itself (“How else is one to know how to proceed / How is one to make a motion against— / electric word life”) In Slight Return, the journey is infinite and elusive—aspiring in the best way toward a point of diminishing returns and withholding any promise of a comfortable landing.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781950268658
Publisher: Wave Books
Publication date: 10/18/2022
Pages: 160
Product dimensions: 8.50(w) x 6.00(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Rebecca Wolff is the author of five collections of poetry, one novel, and numerous pieces of occasional prose. Her first book, Manderley, was selected for the National Poetry Series by Robert Pinsky. Her second, Figment, was selected for the Barnard Women Poets Prize by Claudia Rankine and Eavan Boland. Her third, The King, was published by W. W. Norton in 2009. One Morning— was published by Wave Books in 2015. Slight Return is out from Wave Books in the fall of 2022. Her novel The Beginners was published by Riverhead in 2011. In 1998, Wolff founded the influential literary journal Fence; in 2001 she founded Fence Books and launched The Constant Critic website. Wolff lives in Hudson, New York, where she has served on the City Council and works in community development, with an emphasis on affordable housing and green trades training.

Table of Contents

Contents

1

The character of something

experiment in voice and character #1

Experiment in Divination: Voice and Character

experiment in voice and character #3

Experiment in Voice and Character: “In the absence of general literacy

Experiment: Institutional Critique

The Narrative of Their Execution/The Execution of Their Narrative

2

On Sunday I Water the Plants

if I were more orderly

I am the _____________

Objective Reality Can Take Care of Itself

Like all my enthusiasms

Raga You Bet

The Big Pic is a Total Art Shot

Scales have fallen from my eyes

The Singing Revolution

The Lens of Porcelain

Slight Return

3

Corrective: A Companion

What’s with the arid ground

context is everything

That’s not how my imagination works

Austerity Rabbit Cage

Will you disassociate with me?

Political Animals

Halloween

The supernatural

4

rock heart

This was almost more excitement

This = This

There is Nothing Like a Good Shit

Up Close & Personal

Cheerful whistling of the kettle

Why do you inspire

Peak Experience

Okay, so

Minus the Supernatural

Reincarnations

Class Clown

I know what I’ll do I’ll pretend you’re dead

I am always trying to amuse you

Yet another perfect example of how it’s not all about me 64

5

Institutional Memory: check your head

Protecting my interests

In your recent campaign against me

An Insult to Biology

My Lawyer Said That I Should Call Her

I was, objectively, a happier person, when I was with you.

Visiting Friends

6

Shame on you for thinking people can’t change

If I wanted something exquisite

Dear Jen

Why don’t you go down to Florida and look for your daddy

How do you objectify the day

You are perfect for me

Was It Hubris

It’s like kissing a dead man

Why I am not a Buddhist

Wizard of the Western World

Start A Book

Ant Life

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