The New Orations: Vol. 1 by Duncan Van Etten

Displaying the flexible mind of a scholar, artist, and mystic, Duncan Van Etten has built a profoundly good first-time collection of poetry in The New Orations: Vol. 1. Moving effortlessly between poetic forms of haiku, free verse, and sonnets, and dancing between complex subjects of jealousy, hope, nature, and even the futility of art, Van Etten demonstrates a versatile style, respect for tradition, and a mastery of language. Along with the more prose-leaning pieces often resembling lyrics or spoken-word improvisation, there are poems that will pique any reader’s interest, whether you love hip-hop, Shakespeare, or Ginsberg.