Ritual and Bit

By Robert Ostrom

The landscape of Ritual and Bit is littered with the speaker’s past: empty 40s, old posters, family lies, and fragmented missives. Internal struggles play out in the detritus of long-ago. Yet even as the speaker attempts to cautiously map his movements, effect a survival, and navigate beyond his past, he faces emotional fissures wrought by the present. Throughout the book, he restlessly searches for ways to regain control of his life, partly through ceremonies, prayers, and devotions, and partly through lyrical force. The danger is palpable among wolves and claws, boxcutter and jackknife. There’s both caution here and a willingness to abandon caution if anything or anyone could be reached. The poems ask, What makes a home? What should we expect when we are so determined to live in a world where everything is disappearing?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Saturnalia Books
• Release date: Mar 1, 2016
• ISBN: 9780996220651

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Ostrom

Acknowledgements

©2016 Robert Ostrom

No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. Please direct inquiries to:

Saturnalia Books

105 Woodside Rd.

Ardmore, PA 19003

[e-mail]

Ebook ISBN: 978-0-9962206-5-1

Library of Congress Control Number: 2015945810

Interior Book Design by Saturnalia Books

Printing by McNaughton & Gunn

Cover Art: Greg Mertz

Distributed by:

University Press of New England

1 Court Street

Lebanon, NH 03766

800-421-1561

Thank you to the editors of the following journals in which these poems first appeared, sometimes in different forms: The Ampersand Review, Atlas Review, The Awl, Cellpoems, Columbia: A Journal of Literature and Art, Guernica, Makhzin Oversound, PEN Poetry Series, The Philadelphia Review of Books, Poem-a-Day published by The Academy of American Poets, Poor Claudia’s Phenome series, The Saint Ann’s Review, and Two Peach.

I am grateful to Phantom Books for publishing the chapbook Cross the Bridge Quietly.

Many thanks to my family and friends, especially to those whose encouragement and feedback aided in the making of this book: Carey McHugh, Andrew Seguin, Melissa Ostrom, and Thomas Hummel. For those who offered their continuous support: Lucie Brock-Broido, Timothy Liu, Justin Boening, Addie Palin, Aleksa Brown, and Pranav Behari. For allowing me to filch their words, I am indebted to Todd Steele Grogan and Lily Kaye. Grateful acknowledgement to Greg Mertz for designing the cover.

Thanks to the Catwalk Residency, where the first poems of this book were written. To Kara, Ada, Amaia, and Greg, the caretakers of the Mancoon, where final edits were made. And to CUNY’s Faculty Fellowship Publication Program for providing time and support to work on this manuscript.

My deepest gratitude to Henry Israel, Sarah Blake, and everyone at Saturnalia Books. And to Mary Ruefle, Shane McCrae, and Metka Krašovec.

Lastly, I offer thanks to my students, who give back to me tenfold in wherewithal and inspiration.

CONTENTS

Wolf Among Dala Horses

In the Garden

In Pine Barrens

Anechoic Chamber

Litany of Our Loyalty

Work

The Driver Says

Litany for Deliverance

Troubled Asset Relief

Spell for Sleeping

Litany for Exodus

The Least Least Thing

Everything Before

In Literal Surroundings

Wolf