A Rediscovery of Humanity During the Pandemic: Rick Barot’s "Moving the Bones"

Moving the Bones by Rick Barot. Milkweed Editions, 2024.

Thoughtful poems about love and immigration, art and loss, with an emphasis on the pandemic.

Rick Barot’s latest poetry collection, Moving the Bones (Milkweed Editions, 2024), is a masterful exploration of love, immigration, art, and loss, set against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic. Known for his keen eye and contemplative style, Barot delves deeply into the human experience, offering readers a poignant reflection on what it means to endure and rebuild in a world forever changed.

Moving the Bones may be framed by poignant poems exploring these themes, but its core lies in a series of prose poems titled “During the Pandemic.” Each of the 30 poems begins with the phrase “During the pandemic … ” and unfolds into a vivid reflection of the emotions, dilemmas, and revelations of that time. Barot’s lines resonate with striking clarity: “ … I thought about abstract art”; “ … I noticed the pencils”; “ … I understood how far away I was from things I once knew with forensic intensity”; “ … I listened”; “ … I came to understand that excess is the first quality of the imagination”; “ … I prayed as I had not since childhood”; “ … I had days when I felt like I was by myself on a shore drained of the tide, dragging a stick across miles of wet sand.” While many may wish to forget that dark chapter, Barot’s work underscores the importance of memory and reflection, transforming shared isolation into a testament to endurance and understanding.

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A Pandemic Lens on Poetry

Structured in three sections, the collection's centerpiece comprises thirty prose poems written during the height of the pandemic. These pieces vividly capture moments of stillness, isolation, and introspection, drawing readers into a shared yet deeply personal narrative. Through this lens, Barot examines the collective struggles of a global crisis, juxtaposed with the intimate trials of individual lives.

In poems like "Blue Ridge," Barot evokes the physical and emotional landscapes of confinement, blending precise imagery with unflinching vulnerability. His language, both stark and lyrical, transforms the mundane into profound meditations on mortality, love, and the fragile beauty of daily life.

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Themes of Lineage and Legacy

Beyond the pandemic’s immediate impact, Moving the Bones also examines the weight of lineage and cultural inheritance. Barot reflects on his Filipino heritage and the complex interplay between personal identity and family history. In “The Distance Between Us,” he weaves together memories of his parents and their sacrifices, offering a touching tribute to the quiet resilience that shaped his life.

The collection's title itself, Moving the Bones, becomes a powerful metaphor for the act of carrying forward stories, traditions, and connections, even in the face of disruption.

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Critical Acclaim

Barot’s ability to navigate these themes has drawn significant praise. Jennifer Chang describes the collection as “a book of great daring and even greater vulnerability.” David Baker, another celebrated poet, calls it “a piercing lyric account of what we’ve been living through—together, but alone.” These endorsements reflect the resonance of Barot’s work, which feels both timely and timeless.

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Barot’s Literary Legacy

As the author of acclaimed collections like The Galleons (2020) and Chord (2015), Barot has solidified his place as one of contemporary poetry’s most compelling voices. The Galleons was a finalist for the National Book Award, further cementing his reputation as a poet who bridges the personal with the universal.

In Moving the Bones, Barot continues this tradition, pushing the boundaries of form and narrative while maintaining his signature clarity and precision. His poems are not merely observations but acts of discovery, inviting readers to grapple with their own questions of meaning and belonging.

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The Bottom Line

Moving the Bones is not just a collection of poetry; it’s a testament to the human capacity for endurance, reflection, and transformation. In a time of global upheaval, Barot’s work reminds us of the power of words to anchor us, to connect us, and to move us forward.

Rick Barot’s Moving the Bones is available now through Milkweed Editions and independent booksellers. It is a must-read for anyone seeking poetry that speaks to the heart of the human condition, offering solace and insight in equal measure.

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Rick Barot photographed by by Rachel McCauley.

About the Author

Rick Barot was born in the Philippines, raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, and educated at Wesleyan University and The Writers’ Workshop at the University of Iowa. His formative years and diverse experiences have shaped a poetic voice celebrated for its precision, introspection, and emotional depth.

Barot has published three acclaimed poetry collections with Sarabande Books: The Darker Fall (2002), winner of the Kathryn A. Morton Prize; Want (2008), a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award and winner of the 2009 Grub Street Book Prize; and Chord (2015), which earned the 2016 UNT Rilke Prize, the PEN Open Book Award, and the Publishing Triangle’s Thom Gunn Award while also being a finalist for the LA Times Book Prize. In 2020, he published his fourth collection, The Galleons, with Milkweed Editions. This work was longlisted for the National Book Award, named one of the New York Public Library’s Top Ten Poetry Books of 2020, and was a finalist for the Pacific Northwest Book Awards. His chapbook During the Pandemic was released the same year by Albion Books. His fifth collection, Moving the Bones, is forthcoming from Milkweed Editions in Fall 2024.

For more about Rick Barot, visit the For The Writers Author Directory at: Rick Barot: A Contemporary Poet of Precision and Humanity.