The White Sail, and Other Poems

"The White Sail, and Other Poems" by Louise Imogen Guiney is a compilation of late 19th-century poems that studies love, yearning, and what it means to be human, using both storytelling and beautiful language. With classical influences, Guiney's poems feel both old and new, going deep into what makes us human. The book starts with a story-poem about Ægeus and his worry for his son, Theseus, who has a dangerous job in Crete. It tells of Ægeus’s sadness as he anticipates news of his son, detailing moments of strong feelings and the heavy wait connected with old stories. In a way that grabs your attention and setting important ideas for the collection that follows, Guiney uses strong, descriptive language and looks closely at what it means to be a parent, hope, destiny, and how our choices affect our lives.