Cedar Sigo, “Language Arts” (Wave Books, 2014)

Language Arts (Wave Books 2014) by Cedar Sigo is a departure and then reintroduction to form on avant garde’s terms. In addition to disparate explosions of imagery, Cedar trains the ear for surprise of sound and a prosody that was born of childhood prayer, exposure to native tongue, and an understanding of musical composition. You enter a foreign landscape and exit much wiser.

Kiss the lights and they change

out over the Stardust

Cities are huge machines for sorting poets

Starting down the cellophane-enfolded hills

Even cast off lines have their own pull and rhyme.

(Excerpt from “After Self-Help”)

His love of poetry extends far beyond his own written word. I was impressed by the wealth of knowledge he drew upon in our talk, let alone in the creation of his verse. There is a reverence that any listener would find endearing and ensures us that our art is in the hands of a master. And I tell you, the sonnet never looked so good.

Just like his poems, our conversation was full of surprises and revelation. From identity poetics to poets in translation, Cedar was candid and engaging. He invites readers into his inner world via the page and keeps them there with twists and unexpected turns. He is effortless.

I invite you to listen to our exchange, hear his work, and purchase Language Arts so that you may return to it time and time again, discovering something new with each read.

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