Contemporary Poetry

: a web symposium  |  Spring 2006

As in Every Deafness by Graham Foust
Flood Editions, 2003

Graham Foust's As in Every Deafness is a collection of poems that share similar themes, both in form and subject matter. Foust seems to be interested in focusing his poetry on subjects such as death, drugs, personal isolation, and in many instances intense representations of sexuality. A first read of the book suggest that Foust does indeed write poetry that is far from cheerful and upbeat. Foust tends to describe real life and real human feelings through morbid and hollow language, and this seems to be constant throughout the entire work.

As in Every Deafness is composed of poems that stick to similar form and style. The poems are extremely short, and punctuation varies by poem. One could not say that every poem follows the same form, because they do not. However, every poem is similar in its brevity, and as we will later discuss its overall style. Each poem's titles are very simple and direct, as they set up the subject matter of the poem that follows. The language in the poems is simple. It is not elaborate and overly elegant. Foust’s use of language resembles his overall style: direct, real, and to the point. His poetry explains feelings and situations in a simple and easily understood way. Even though his poems may have multiple meanings, his use of language may be taken at face value. As in Every Deafness is broken up into three sections. The first section entitled "Forcing House" is very representative of the style and subject matter that Foust uses throughout the rest of the book. This first section gives the reader a taste of Foust's broad subject matter. What is interesting is that even though the subjects of his poems vary, the overall tone to them is very similar.

In "On The Evening of a Wedding" Foust writes his depiction of marriage and love. This poem on marriage is not what one would typically expect. It is not a poem of elegant, flowery language. It does not represent the passionate intimate feelings between husband and wife. Instead, Foust addresses marriage through this poem as something forceful, and at its core unromantic. Foust writes that love one day is "manipulation" and on another day it is "purely a possession" (4). Foust describes these two events as happening in two days. On the third day, Foust writes, "that day on which / the world / puts its mouth in yours. // The world's mouth is a church" (4-5). Here, Foust is depicting marriage as a forced act. Foust adds in an element of sexuality, which is a major theme in his writing, as he attempts to show the union between the church and the couple with words that one would assimilate to lustful kissing. Foust uses language that gives marriage and love a hard and unromantic feel. Instead of using imagery of the heart, Foust chooses to use the mouth. Instead of describing love with passionate language, Foust chooses "manipulation" and "possession".

As previously mentioned, one of Graham Foust's underlying themes in As in Every Deafness is sexuality. One poem that illustrates this theme is "Pornography". The title of the poem is a clear indication about the sexual subject matter of the poem. "Pornography" illustrates Foust's use of harsh and blunt language, as the poem does not shy away from the subject matter. The first stanza of the poem is simply "getting / me off" (7). Foust's use of direct language further emphasizes his commitment to the reality of the subject matter. Through his use of language Foust delivers his poems in the same manner that one would think of the subject matter, as dark and uncensored as that may be.

Foust continues his theme of sexuality in "Love Poem". One would expect from the title that the poem will comment on love. Similarly to "On The Evening of a Wedding" one might expect romantic and fluffy language to describe love. However, Foust brings in lustful themes and concepts of sexuality into the poem. In my opinion, "Love Poem" is perhaps his most sexual poem. In the story of this poem, we understand there to be two people, and these two people are most likely in love, as the title might suggest. What is unique about this poem, and completely representative of Foust as a poet, is its highly sexual content. The poem describes two people "joined in a figure" (52). One of the participants asks to "Sleep / like me // with me / this way - // ungestured, / begging invasion." (52). For Foust, this lustful connection between two people is love. One may scorn this outlook, and they may be the same reader's that expect a Shakespearean Soliloquy to follow a poem entitled "Love Poem". But is Foust really that far off? This poem is similar to that of "High Windows" by Philip Larkin. It simply is a social commentary that uses poetic language to describe the reality that love is today. Just like Larkin alluded to two kids “fucking”, one being on the pill, Foust alludes to love as a gesture of invasion through the action of sleeping together.

Foust exhibits an interest in drugs and drug abuse as subject matter for much of his poetry. "Heroin" is a short poem that seems to be told by a speaker that has familiarity with the effects of the drug. Foust uses imagery of "the hazy / obscene" (11) to describe the departure from reality that heroin induces. Foust also makes it clear that this state of mind is not one that you might be familiar with in a state of sleeping. To emphasize this Foust repeats the same stanza twice (only in different form) as he writes, "That / was not sleeping. // That was not / sleeping." (11). Foust also alludes to the idea that this drug use is a movement away from heaven. This poem adds to the idea that Foust's poetry is a direct representation of the harshness of contemporary reality. Foust does not glorify drug use, his writings poetically describe that drug abuse represents. Similarly to "Pornography", "Heroin" takes the reader to the core of the subject matter, and comments on the brutal reality of what its role with human beings truly is. Like "Heroin", "Blackout Drinking" is another poem that addresses a concept that is prevalent in today's society right along with drug abuse. Through his poetic language, Foust writes about alcohol as an "unprecedented chemical" (57) that invades the body. It is if Foust is taking his readers into the minds of someone who is experiencing this drug and alcohol abuse first hand.

What makes Foust’s poetry attractive is his blunt and realistic style. One could argue that Foust is simply developing his own social commentary through his poetry. He is unconcerned with how his thoughts spill onto the paper. His thoughts reflect the mindset of a heroin addict, an alcoholic’s inner thoughts, a perverted marriage, and that is to lightly touch on his subject matter. Overall, Foust uses a variety of themes to draw a representation of real life. In life there are alcoholics, drug addicts, perverted marriages, lustful relationships, and feelings of emptiness attributed with all of them. Foust’s poetry reflects these sometimes ignored aspects of everyday life, and addresses them with blunt language and deep reflection.

Works Cited

Foust, Graham. As in Every Deafness. Chicago: Flood Editions, 2003.

Further Reading

Esdale, Logan. “The Direction in which One Reads, or Poetry’s Exceptionalism.” Rev. of As in Every Deafness by Graham Foust. Jacket Magazine February 2004. < http://jacketmagazine.com/25/esdale-foust.html.> Foust, Graham. Leave the Room to Itself. Ahsahta Press, 2003.

Hanson, Josh. Rev. of Leave the Room to Itself by Graham Foust. Three Candles Journal.
http://www.threecandles.org/reviews/gfoust_review.html