It's summer here in Smalltown, which means I'm reading what I want when I want. (I collect lists and stacks for each and every summer.) Currently I'm reading Dear American Airlines, listening to Atmospheric Disturbances, and reading a number of children's books for review. But today it hit me: Come fall, I'm going to be reading Anna Karenina yet again. I honestly have no idea how many times I've read and taught this novel. I chose eleven for the title, but only because I like that number.On Reading Anna Karenina for the Eleventh Time
Once a year I think of you,
in a black velvet dress, eyes
flashing and shattering hearts.
The opera. Trains. A red handbag.
Can I break that aged spine
and live your torment anew?
At sixteen I understood:
Karenin is bo-ring!
He has big ears. Pe-Dan-Tic.
Of course you must leave for
dancing dangerous Vronsky.
At twenty five I understood
life is difficult, there are
many choices. Husband. Son.
New man. How could you have known
you’d chosen so tragically?
At forty I understood
Tolstoy meant it: “Vengeance is
mine; I will repay.” For what
was Vronsky but a spoiled frat
boy you chose over your son?
Can I travel your road again?
I don’t know. But at least I’ll
have Shcherbatsky, Stiva,
and Dolly to walk me through
with joy, humor, and faith,
to the very bitter end.
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Jennie, who studied in Smalltown, is on the roundup this week at Biblio File. Head on over and leave your links...
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Don't get me wrong: I certainly appreciate Anna Karenina and consider it to be, structurally speaking, a great novel. Maybe THE great novel. But my heart remains true to War and Peace and to the Tolstoy who wrote War and Peace.
