Kelly Cherry Poetry

Kelly Cherry (December 21, 1940 – March 18, 2022) was a prolific American novelist, poet, essayist, and professor. She served as the Poet Laureate of Virginia from 2010 to 2012. With more than 30 books to her credit, including poetry collections like “Songs for a Soviet Composer” and novels such as “Sick and Full of Burning,” Cherry’s work explored themes of philosophy, language, and morality.

Her writing often intertwined musical and literary influences. She taught at various universities and received numerous awards, making a significant impact on the literary world.

Their Pleas

‘Their Pleas’ talks about the longing of departed souls for guidance, connection, and empathy in their journey through the afterlife.

Kelly Cherry was a highly acclaimed American poet, novelist, essayist, and literary critic. Her poetry is often praised for its intelligence, wit, and musicality. She was a master of the sonnet form, and her poems often explore themes of philosophy, religion, and the nature of reality. 'Their Pleas" is a solid and well-crafted Kelly Cherry work. It is undoubtedly one of her most powerful poems on the theme of death. However, it is also a poem that is very different from her other work. As mentioned above, Cherry is known for her musical poems, but 'Their Pleas' is more raw and emotional.

They pluck my sleeve, tug my hand, pull

my hair. They do not kneel to kiss my hem.

No, it’s not like that but they want tokens.

Again, not souvenirs but something small

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Their Pleas

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