LGBT Book & Video Blog

Practice: Poems by Dan Bellm; Sixteen Rivers Press, $15

In his third poetry collection, San Francisco resident Dan Bellm bases his work on the Jewish midrashic tradition, an ancient form of weekly biblical translation of the Torah. Each poem is a derivation of a selected scripture passage or a painting; an adaptation that Bellm himself arrived at after studying each form. The result is an exquisite amalgam of art and artistic doctrine. Thriving on "anomaly and ambiguity," the 32 poems contained in the volume collectively evoke the intensive interpersonal threading of religion, emotion, love, and base humanitarianism within their lovely incantations.

Whether it's a baby's pre-dawn cries ("Before Words") setting the tone for the day, or making amends to suture the distance between estranged brothers ("Esau"), Bellm's words resonate, flow, and gently enhance the calming effect of poetry, a form the author has obviously embraced wholeheartedly. Being Jewish isn't necessary to appreciate the writer's affinity for the purity and soulfulness of his belief system. The collection will appeal to readers of any affiliation, provided they are able to channel the heart of their convictions and remain open to the wonders of parables and prayers.

A series of six paintings by Elizabeth Bishop are set to words by Bellm, who vividly evokes a summer vacation ("The Lamp") in Nova Scotia "to watch land disappear into water." He recalls a return ferry trip from a summer excursion at Fire Island where "all day in the sun I had seen men holding hands and not known in my mind what to feel." The title poem is an evocative reflection on human compassion, as much as a boy watching the milkman ("Milk") visit his home speaks volumes about quiet longing and the allure of a secret life.

More o f Biblical proportions | The Bay Area Reporter Online by by Jim Piechota