The Lords of Misrule, X. J. Kennedy's seventh volume of poetry, exhibits his characteristic blend of wit, intellectual curiosity, and formal mastery. The sixty poems collected here explore a wide range of subjects: a scathing curse on a sneak-thief, a wry ballad of Henry James and his not-quite lover Constance Fenimore Woolson, an elegy for Allen Ginsberg, incisive views of contemporary Egypt, a serio-comic meditation on the relic of St. Teresa of Avila which Spain's General Franco kept at his bedside, and a response to the events of September 11. Like the controlled frenzy of medieval Christmas festivities presided over by the appointed Lords of Misrule, Kennedy's poems possess a chaotic humor and frenetic energy held within tight metrical bounds. In his latest collection, Kennedy confirms his reputation as one of America's most accomplished and engaging poets. Praise for Dark Horses: ''The poetry is mordant, funny, and even sometimes rather frightening; the poet, so much in control of his formal means.''Emily Grosholz, Hudson Review ''These are beautiful poems by one of the best poets we have.''Richard Moore, Sewanee Review ''Well, here he goes again, America's finest formalist, with a simply delightful collection of new poems.''Paul Ruffin, Texas Review ''Kennedy's 'wit' is not mere cleverness. Rather it combines accuracy of perception with the metaphoric imagination that, with his ability to juggle fixed forms, enlivens the best poems in this satisfying collection . . . In these poems we are connectedto the formal tradition, to the social and natural worlds in which we live, and to each other.''Ghita Orth, New England Review
