{"product_id":"empire-of-surrender-paperback","title":"Empire of Surrender - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eMichael Schmeltzer\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMichael Schmeltzer's \u003cem\u003eEmpire of Surrender \u003c\/em\u003easks us to look, to feel-deep in the guts-the vibrating aftershocks of war. Each poem powerfully speaks to the ache of what it means to witness war, especially at a young age. Full of visceral lyricism and tender epistolaries, Schmeltzer dives into the intimate depths of war, violence, familial history, empathy, and lineage. This is a book that is not afraid to ask: how and why do we hurt each other? What is lost in such acts of cruelty? And how can we cling to kindness as resistance? In this complexity, \u003cem\u003eEmpire of Surrender \u003c\/em\u003ereturns us to the heart: \"with each clang I hear the heart\/\/quiet a bit more. In the great war I become cake.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e-\u003cstrong\u003eJane Wong\u003c\/strong\u003e, author of \u003cem\u003eHow to Not Be Afraid of Everything\u003c\/em\u003e (Alice James Books) \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"We have misplaced our gentleness,\" writes Michael Schmeltzer in his stunning collection, \u003cem\u003eEmpire of Surrender\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003e \u003c\/em\u003ewhere he brilliantly weaves tenderness, vulnerability, and love into a realm of war and brutality. Rooted in history and family, these poems do not hold back, fearless and poignant, they ache to be read more than once-\"We are hostage to sorrow.\/Lay down. Rest your head.\/We can be each other's pillow.\"\u003cem\u003e \u003c\/em\u003eSchmeltzer is a voice I need and the world needs. I can't remember the last time I have been so taken by a collection; Michael Schmeltzer has written the best poems of his life, make no mistake, this book will open you in the very best ways.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e-\u003cstrong\u003eKelli Russell Agodon\u003c\/strong\u003e, author of \u003cem\u003eDialogues with Rising Tides \u003c\/em\u003e(Copper Canyon Press)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn these harrowing poems, Michael Schmeltzer meditates on the failures of empire, on war and cruelty, on the fragility of goodness. This book is steeped in brutality and horror, yet the voice that speaks these poems is above all humane, tender, filled with wonder. \"What weapon,\" Schmeltzer asks, considering the sharpness of axes, \"can be made of me?\" It is a complex question in a world that overwhelms anyone who imagines the end of violence as \"pushing a pin back into a grenade.\" At the same time, it elevates the power of our words, rendering them urgent and vital. This is an important book for our age of war and empire, one that discovers in the individual consciousness both truth and the potential for good.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e-\u003cstrong\u003eKevin Prufer\u003c\/strong\u003e, author of \u003cem\u003eThe Art of Fiction\u003c\/em\u003e (Four Way Books) \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 98\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0.2 x 9 x 6 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e February 14, 2022\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Books by splitShops","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42691969450047,"sku":"9780578308418","price":20.4,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0105\/8226\/1823\/files\/6279899aa0fa0b80ec5d21d210ddaa0c.webp?v=1764993778","url":"https:\/\/dhlswag.com\/products\/empire-of-surrender-paperback","provider":"BBB","version":"1.0","type":"link"}