Review of Seven Suns / Seven Moons

This unique collection includes two sections—suns written by Welch and moons written by McDonald—followed by several collaborations on the same themes where the poets work together. A brief but helpful explanation at the end of the book describes the genesis of the book, the ideas behind it, and how it came about—inspired by Allen Ginsberg’s concept of the “eyeball kick.”

Two excellent examples from McDonald:

two moons

the wrinkled bedspread

where he sat

seven moons

the phone number

he never gave me

Two of my favourites from Welch:

two suns

a reflection

of my icy self

seven suns

disjunction

on a sycamore leaf

Once the “suns” become “sons,” once “puns,” and once “moons” become “loons.” Welch and McDonald succeed in pushing the envelope well beyond what is usually intended by the word sun or moon, into the dream-like and surreal.

As George Swede notes on the back cover, “For readers of this book, the sun and moon will never be the same.”