A chronicle of a crocus, a lesson in squid anatomy, an embarrassing reminiscence, some esoteric Virginia history, an anecdote about an eccentric history teacher, a pinch of existential despair, and a fact about walking from Florida to Newfoundland: if I told you that Virginia Bell could fit all of this into a single poem, would you believe me? Enter Crocus Vernus, a poem that cannot, for the life of it, focus on one subject but which enslaves the reader’s attentions. How creative, how inventive, how judicious of a poet Bell must be to pull this off! Such precision, such imagination, such poise! Crocus Vernus is a triumph, a triumph only a poet as experienced and skilled as Bell could accomplish. Dare I compare her to Ashberry? I do. Dare I call this poem genius? I do.
Crocus Vernus
