It Will Have Been So Beautiful by Amanda C. Shaw (Book Review 2008)

Amanda C. Shaw’s It Will Have Been So Beautiful is a moving and richly textured debut poetry collection that challenges readers to reevaluate their relationship with the concept of “home,” particularly as the climate crisis looms ever larger in our lives. Edited by Eileen Cleary, this collection explores profound themes of identity, belonging, and resilience through language that is both sonically vibrant and deeply compassionate.

The strength of Shaw’s poetry lies in its ability to blend urgency with wonder, humor with gravity, and mourning with hope. Her words weave a tapestry of experiences, offering glimpses of landscapes and emotions that feel at once intimate and universal. The poems traverse wide geographies, moving from New Hampshire to Italy, France, and the Swiss Alps, grounding the global consequences of environmental degradation in deeply personal reflections.

One of the most striking aspects of this collection is Shaw’s celebration of language itself. Her poems revel in the power of words to create and connect, demonstrating art’s potential to inspire action and deepen our commitment to life in all its forms. Lines feel meticulously crafted, often echoing with a musicality that lingers long after reading.

The title of the collection, drawn from a Diane Arbus quote, speaks to its temporal complexity, suggesting how the beauty of the past shapes and informs our future. Poems like “A Peaceable Kingdom” and “Ceci N’est Pas un Bol” capture this beautifully, intertwining personal history with broader societal concerns. Shaw’s ability to oscillate between the intimate and the expansive is remarkable, inviting readers to consider how individual moments contribute to the larger narrative of humanity’s place on a fragile planet.

At its core, It Will Have Been So Beautiful is a poignant exploration of hope amid crisis. Shaw’s voice is one of empathy and clarity, reminding us that art has the capacity to move hearts and minds toward change. Her collection is both a celebration and a call to action—a reminder of the beauty we must strive to preserve and the responsibility we share in doing so.

For readers seeking poetry that resonates with emotional depth and relevance, Amanda C. Shaw’s It Will Have Been So Beautiful is a must-read. This debut establishes Shaw as a vital voice in contemporary literature, one that offers hope and healing in the face of uncertainty.

Written by Jeyran Main