I was thrilled to be asked to review Alexandra Fössinger's debut poetry collection, Contrapasso recently. Alexandra was one of the first poets we published on the blog a couple of years ago, and her surreal, dream-like poetry helped cement the direction of the journal. It goes without saying that her writing journey to this point is extra special to us...
'Contrapasso encapsulates the sense of disorientation that comes hand-in-hand with separation in a way that is so vividly relatable you cannot help but be drawn in. The opening lines from Dante’s Inferno mark the beginning of a journey which continually thrusts the reader in and out of reality and consciousness, height and depth, the dream world and the prosaic, with fluctuating speeds of intensity. Fössinger’s poetry addresses survival, the hinterlands, the vast spaces between emotions that are too deep to be expressed and painful memories which sometimes come peacefully and at other times fiercely. However, as the reader journeys through Contrapasso, the reassuring beauty and permanence of nature, the birds, the trees, a compost heap, become a reminder of hope, acceptance and purpose. This collection flawlessly reflects the ebbs and tides of grief and loss in all its forms, from the titles in multiple languages to the editing and ordering of poems which read like a stream of consciousness, this is a masterly debut collection from an accomplished poet and certainly one to take notice of.’ ~ Kayleigh Cutforth
Check it out below...
