Notes on “HARK” by Mackenzie Oliff
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By Grace Gaynor
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In HARK by Mackenzie Oliff, repetition and a resounding voice compel readers to interact deeply with intricate lines and images. This poem is full of deliciously resonant, echoing sounds that reverberate within the space of the poem and beyond. While experiencing this piece, readers have the opportunity to hear simple, mundane sounds like “cars pushing gravel around,” a voice musing on democracy and the role of government, and “foxes dew claws / sharpening the earth” through a filter of delirious wonder. In this poem, we are asked to “please be quiet and listen” by a speaker who witnesses, understands, and analyzes the many movements, complications, and oddities of the world we live in. ​​​​​​