The Telegraph Journal savours Neighbour Procedure

Rachel Zolf's latest collection of poems is no Sunday afternoon read. These are some intellectual poems from the 2008 Trillium winner. In her four-paged Afterthought, the now New York-based Toronto poet and editor explains her mix of subtle, esoteric and pop culture references. There's even a pronunciation key. And yet, these poems also stand up on their own with their strong use of repetition and parallels - two tropes perfect for when Zolf's subject matter is Israel and the Middle East. Even without being aware of the references to news clippings, Derrida or ancient Hebrew spelling, this removed and distant voice finds a clear expression of such a confused state of world affairs.