Thoughts on Gretchen Diemer’s new book of poems, Between Fire and Water, Ice and Sky

Contributed to Make A Scene Magazine by Teresa Ascone
December 12, 2008

From the cover illustration suggesting ghostly tree branches against a stormy sky to the somber and thoughtful poems inside, Gretchen Diemer’s new book of poetry, Between Fire and Water, Ice and Sky, is an impressive work of art.

Diemer’s spare and thoughtful lines transport us into the raw landscape while emphasizing its relationship to the humans and animals that dwell there; she moves us by juxtaposing nature’s bounty with man’s violence and tragedy. Using a nimble word or finely crafted phrase, she points out the everyday beauties of our world and how they collide with the sudden blood of the hunt or the senselessness of war. We are transported to a field of battle, then back again to the serenity of the forest adorned with moss and ferns.

We walk with her and our imaginations soar as she leads us along the Matanuska River, or shows us the broken branch of a small tree just leafing out; then she turns, and we see a different, sadder view. Her observances lead us to notice the sunset and the rain, the forest and the flowers, the birds and the dogs, and how they are all linked in an endless cycle of birth, life and death.

How are we affected by the larger tragedies of our century? The poem “In the Endless Rain” speaks to this by illustrating the reactions of a father to events such as the JFK and MLK assassinations.

In “The Dressmaker and the Mechanic” Diemer addresses intimacy as she illustrates the small, yet telling details of attraction and fascination, crafting a graceful and sensual dance.

Alaska permeates the book; the descriptions of ice, frost, and snow are vivid portrayals of our northern weather. In “The Snows Have Parted” the author watches as a birch tree wrapped in the chill of spring plays host to a tiny bird. “Spring in the Kobuk Valley” brings back memories of break up and the remnants of cabin fever.

Between Fire and Water, Ice and Sky is the perfect book to curl up with on a winter’s night, to ponder the loveliness of life on this Earth, yet also to remember its failings and tragedies as presented here with such sensitivity and grace.

Quote from Gretchen Diemer regarding “In the Endless Rain”:

“The violent deaths of public figures shock us and define and inform our private and public dialogue. The U.S. lost three powerful men in a relatively short period of time.  My father’s response to the deaths was the inspiration for the poem. I included Allende, specifically, because of the date of his death; a reminder that our grief is a shared grief, not one confined to political borders.”