Book Review: The Lost World

Reviewed by Elizabeth Zender

Experience tranquility, reflection, and the beauty of the soul with this vibrant poetry collection.

The Lost World by Celia Drill is split into eight parts, detailing the lived experience in the modern world. In ethereal free verse, Drill carries the reader from poem to poem with the soft guidance of someone ushering you to the dreamworld. 

In the first half, Drill’s work feels like a memory just out of reach. She writes of birds, ravens, and hummingbirds alike, of homes and of the past with stunning lines like “My grandparents wave in faded clothing; they give their color to the young.” Alongside more serious topics, Drill writes of the simple day-to-day aspects of life. “Mug for Lapsang Souchong” shares the experience of a potter while “Country Music” is a back and forth call to country music’s biggest influences on the genre—and how it both stands them up and makes them lie down. Nature is so often a vehicle to explain the world and the emotions we feel in this collection, and it works wonders for it.

Drill gives even the most mundane and unwanted activities the same spiritual lyricism of her nature poems. One poem chronicles a dentist appointment, lacing the experience with a surreal quality. I, too, would love to have a more whimsical dental experience; Drill successfully makes the appointment reflective on the loss of innocence and youth in a way only she could do. 

While our day to day may feel tumultuous, Drill’s poetry reminds us to take time to reflect, to feel peace, and to remember that we exist on this beautiful planet. In poems like “Grasses,” “Sun,” and “Daffodil,” we are shown golden images of what life can be when we take a moment to simply be. “Tall as worship, steeped in green of memory, not sleep, grasses do not blur, but separate in winds, each stalk a moment lived upon the Earth.”

I was enthralled by how much love exists within this collection without it being romantic. It’s the earthy, timeless love that comes with taking in our surroundings, remembering who we are, and thinking of those around us. In a world where it is easy to be an individual, Drill’s writing reminds us of what we owe not just to ourselves, but to the larger picture of humanity. Shuck off your constant need for individuality and just let yourself feel, these poems seem to shout. 

If you couldn’t tell, I loved this collection, and I can’t wait to shove a copy into the hands of my fellow poetry enthusiasts. If you like vibrant imagery, the chance for reflection, and poetry that bends the rules, you will find a new favorite with The Lost World.

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