Mass for Shut-Ins

In her collection "Mass for Shut-Ins," Mary-Alice Daniel explores the intersection of African and Western mythic systems, animistic traditions, and modern rituals, creating a cosmology powered by nightmare fuel and animating an odd organism with unhinged thoughts.

Format: Hardback
Length: 120 pages
Publication date: 06 May 2023
Publisher: Yale University Press

The 117th volume of the Yale Series of Younger Poets, titled "Mass for Shut-Ins," delves into the profound experiences of Mary-Alice Daniel as she navigates the complexities of tricontinental culture shock and her unique position within multiple worlds. In this captivating collection, Daniel harnesses a rich tapestry of animistic, Islamic, and syncretic Christian traditions from her native Nigeria, unleashing potent incantations, rituals, and spells that evoke the electric energy of St. Elmo's fire. With a fierce determination, she confronts the human capacity for creating hell on earth, employing her poetic prowess to summon powerful forces that challenge the status quo.

The poems within "Mass for Shut-Ins" transport readers through dreamscapes, hellscapes, and lurid landscapes, charting speculative realms of spiritual warfare. Within this controlled chaos, fueled by nightmare fuel, an utterly odd organism emerges—a cosmology cobbled together from scripture, superstition, mass media, and mad science. The pages overflow with the unhinged, intrusive thoughts that obsess us all as the night unfolds.

Through her intricate and mesmerizing poetry, Daniel explores the boundaries between the sacred and the profane, the known and the unknown, and the ordinary and the extraordinary. She weaves together a tapestry of voices and perspectives, creating a rich and layered narrative that invites readers to embark on a journey of introspection and discovery.

"Mass for Shut-Ins" is a testament to Daniel's talent and vision as a poet. Her ability to blend diverse cultural and religious traditions, coupled with her sharp wit and incisive observations, creates a collection that is both haunting and thought-provoking. This book is a must-read for anyone seeking to explore the complexities of contemporary life and the power of poetry to illuminate the human experience.

Dimension: 235 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780300268003