RaveThe Colorado Review...the book is deeply preoccupied with connections—be it between the human and natural world, or between the historical and the everyday ... But the precise relation between any given pair is far from simplistic ... Though writing about the Earth’s future is not beyond his reach, Sze acknowledges that his true home, as a poet, lies among particulars: say, the distinctiveness of a specific spider plant leaning towards a specific door. The impulse to write responsibly and to remain in touch with the wider world can lead to rigidity and self-importance. Sze counters this risk...by admitting to his own smallness, and the smallness of all individuals, in the face of history ... This philosophy is reflected in the use of strikethroughs throughout Sight Lines. To Sze’s mind, all statements are ripe for revision, and no observation he offers up can stand with complete authority. Strikethroughs make such second looks visible ... The most important thing about these edits is that the old words are not simply erased or supplanted by new words. The marks keep the original terms in view, even as they significantly qualify them. It is this degree of self-questioning, this wariness of authority in himself and others, that makes Sze such a valuable poet for this moment.
