Arthur Sze Reading in Santa Fe

Not any breaking news. Just wanted to let the Bigfans know about a reading I attended this weekend. Arthur Sze (pronounced “Z”) read from his eighth and newest collection of poems Quipu. Quipu were the knots used by pre-literate Incans to record information. Apparently these knots were tied to a main cord and related the info in their number and color. The image of quipu as well as their inherent metaphorical potency as tactile language struck me as very cool (how’s that for a sophisticated response?). What I found in Sze’s poems (he read only from this collection) was an insistence on extreme detail and repetition that made me think of a repeating number of knots on a cord. I recommend this collection and look forward to checking out his previous books. -Malka