Abendspinne

The essence of poetry is such that understanding often does not come on the first attempt. Not so with this collection. Just like the titular evening spider, Christopher Onkelbach weaves a delicate thread of language. He tells of farewells and new beginnings, of violence and tenderness, of nature observation and inner movement, and with each re-reading, further layers are revealed. The poet leads us to surprising perspectives and allows us to see what is not actually visible. His poems are clear, unadorned, reduced, and yet, like a spider's web, possess a poetic beauty. This collection is an invitation to pause: for the dirge or the roses of Isfahan, the whisper of the wind, the final glance. For all who want to feel what lives between the lines: If generations did not look at me from the shallow mud, I could rent a pedal boat. The author's ink drawings complement the collection.