Dunce

Mary Ruefle’s poems are mischievous, philosophical, and delightfully unpredictable. Dunce plays with the idea of foolishness as a doorway to wonder and truth. Ruefle’s voice is conversational but slyly profound, moving from the mundane to the metaphysical in a single turn. The poems often feel like thought experiments dressed as jokes. Yet beneath the humor is a serious inquiry into loneliness, aging, and the absurdity of human striving. Ruefle uses surprise as a method, keeping readers off-balance in productive ways. The collection is also formally nimble, shifting shapes and tones with ease. Her observations can be tender, then suddenly cutting. Dunce reminds you that wisdom doesn’t always sound wise. It’s a book to savor slowly, for its odd angles and luminous punchlines.