Swimming at Twelve Mile

Swimming at Twelve Mile

  • $9.95
    Unit price per 


Swimming at Twelve Mile

J.D. Carpenter

4 X 7 inches, 72 pages

'A SENSITIVITY ALIVE TO THE MYTHS OF THE NORTH and an ability to transcribe ... insight into delicate language.' That's what the Canadian Book Review Annual had to say of J.D. Carpenter and his book of poetry Swimming at Twelve Mile, one of many fine books Penumbra Press published when first fired up in 1979.


Survivors at the crash site
after ten days on the mountain.

(Our feet and hands are black,
our noses flattened.)

The nose is buried in snow
and any damage is obscured.

(Untrue: my blood
lies candied on the snow)

This photo shows the rear
of the plane, Wilson standing
beneath the fuselage with his back
to the camera. McKay, heavy bruising
evident on her right shoulder and arm

(The arm is broken)

sits astride the right wing, cupping
her right breast with her left hand.
The breast appears frozen.

(The breast is frozen)

Snow is everywhere.

(Untrue: above us
rock walls rise;
the skies are snowless;
the inside of my mouth
is snowless)

The identity of the photographer
is unknown.
(Untrue: I
am the photographer)

The search continues.


Caption

We Also Recommend