Then the War

Pulitzer Prize-Winning Poetry: A Luminous Journey of Self-Discovery

"I'm a song, changing. I'm a light

rain falling through a vast

darkness toward a different

darkness."

In his Pulitzer Prize-winning collection Then the War, celebrated American poet Carl Phillips continues his ongoing quest of self-discovery and exploration. Written amidst rising racial conflict and uncertainty in the United States, these poems delve deeper into Phillips's signature landscape: a forest of intimacy, queerness, and moral inquiry, where the further we venture, the more challenging it becomes to recall our origins and motivations.

Then the War showcases a generous selection of Phillips's work from the past thirteen years, including his lyric prose memoir, "Among the Trees," and his chapbook, Star Map with Action Figures. Throughout this luminous collection, Phillips rejects pessimism, advocating instead for the profound revolutionary potential of tenderness and human connection. He conjures a spell against indifference and the temptations of nostalgia, offering a powerful testament to the importance of self-reckoning.

This essential volume solidifies Carl Phillips's position as an ever-evolving, indispensable voice in contemporary poetry, as he fearlessly illuminates the path toward understanding and transformation.