Set in locations from dive bars to Montparnasse Cemetery, from an ancient Greek temple to a tourist shop in Assisi, Exit Opera explores the ever-vexing issues of time, mortality, love, and loss, and considers the roles of art and human connection. Whatever their nominal subjectโjazz, zombies, Buddhism, Siberian tigersโthese poems make for a compelling mix of humor and pain, difficulty and solace. In a nod to Keats, one of the many fellow travelers in these poems, Addonizio invites us to โ[inscribe] a few verses on whatever water / you can findโ and assures readers that they are not alone in navigating the challenges and changes of mortal life. As she writes in โMy Operaโ:
The staging is difficult. Exploding starsย
Kim Addonizio is the author of seven poetry collections and two books on writing poetry: The Poetโs Companion (with Dorianne Laux) and Ordinary Genius. Her poetry collection Tell Me was a finalist for the National Book Award. She lives in Oakland, California.