ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, April 7, 1996 TAG: 9604050147
SECTION: BOOKS PAGE: 4 EDITION: METRO
TYPE: BOOK REVIEW
SOURCE: REVIEWED BY BARBARA M. DICKINSON
SECOND SIGHT. By Dabney Stuart. University of Missouri Press.
Dabney Stuart is a fine poet who teaches at Washington and Lee in Lexington. The author of 13 books of fiction, poetry and criticism, he has just released "Second Sight," a pairing of 33 new poems with paintings by the late Carroll Cloar. The book begs to be read aloud, slowly, while shifting one's focus from written word to colorful scenes of rare moments of everyday life. Imagine Eudora Welty with a video camera: Dabney Stuart's poetry captures her charm and cadence.
Cloar's paintings evoke memories of his boyhood years on the family farm in Arkansas. They are flat, representational and unpretentious yet infused with a surreal dreaminess. Each of Stuart's poems bears the same title of the painting it accompanies. Each poem, with keen imagery and stunning metaphors, gently invites the reader to look into the heart of the picture. Yet in no way does Stuart attempt artistic analysis. He simply addresses the obvious, steps back and asks the viewer to enjoy a "second sight."
Poet Stuart and artist Cloar have formed a perfect partnership in this marriage of minds. "Second Sight" is a slender volume that is a delight to both ear and eye.
Barbara M. Dickinson is a Roanoke artist.
Book signing
Rita Sizemore Riddle, whose collection of poems entitled ``Aluminum Balloons,'' has just been published by Pocahontas Press, will give a reading and sign books during a reception in the Flossie Martin Center at Radford University on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. The public is invited.
Poetry reading
Katherine Soniat will read from her poetry on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. in the Sutton Lounge at Roanoke College. Soniat, a professor at Virginia Tech, has most recently published a book of poems entitled "A Shared Life." The reading is open to the public at no charge.
Virginia Festival of Books
Charlottesville is ranked third in the country for per-capita book sales, according to material distributed at the Virginia Festival of Books. It certainly seemed so last weekend when Stephen Ambrose (``Undaunted Courage''), David McCullough (``Truman''), George Garrett (The King of Babylon Shall Not Come Against You''), Rita Dove (``Mother Love''), Alexandra Ripley (``Scarlett'') and countless other authors gathered there to present lectures, give readings and sign books. The festival, begun only last year, is already taking on national importance while retaining a regional focus. It is a great weekend for book lovers. Tentative dates for the 1997 festival are April 10-13.
- MARY ANN JOHNSON, Book Page Editor
Bookmarks is a regular feature of the book page that will focus on books, writers and literary events of local and regional interest and importance.
LENGTH: Medium: 62 linesby CNB