Wü

Long poems, short poems, Tanka, and of course sonnets—these launching pads for all other forms of poetry are included in Thomas Kunst's new collection. At the end of each chapter stands the master sonnet, a letter to his cat WÜ. Full of grace and subtle humor, these verses are strangely beautiful and serve as a kind of protective charm against everything that scares us, against a violent world.

WÜ is more than just a cat. WÜ is a pick-up service from the garage and evening solace. WÜ is a motion detector and the first being to greet me in the morning at the bedroom door. WÜ is a Russian Blue. WÜ is also a desert of wishes. WÜ is a dignified enumeration: eucalyptus candies on the highway. The American photos of Leuna seen in passing. The farmers' advice to buy a turntable before the first frost. The fear of walking through tall grass. The Gulf of Mexico behind garages. First names in the snow.