Paul Killebrew “Ethical Consciousness” (Canarium Books, 2013)

In Paul Killebrew‘s latest book of poems, Ethical Consciousness (Canarium Books, 2013), the speaker inhabits the everyday structures of our lives, but responds to those structures in an entirely uncommon way. For Killebrew, his severe poetic lines (which he explains the origins of), once latched together create poems that act like tire-irons that the poet uses to pry open anything he chooses to attach his attention to. Once object or idea is uncovered, his depth of vision achieves its beauty by allowing the poems to travel freely within those newly revealed districts where they must. In short, he guides more than he directs, which is always a gift to the reader. In our conversation we talk about his childhood in The South, his parallel loves for the law and the poetic, how his books came to be published, and so much more. I should mention that we conclude the interview with a reading of his epic poem “Muted Flags”. I hope you enjoy our chat as much as I did.

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