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Nets
Poetry. "Jen Bervin has reimagined Shakespeare as our true contemporary. Her little poems sing"—Paul Auster. In NETS, poet and artist Jen Bervin strips Shakespeare's sonnets "bare to the nets," chiseling away at the familiar lines to reveal surprising new poems, while pointing obliquely at the unavoidably intertextual ground of writing. Using visual compositional strategies as effectively as verbal ones, Bervin allows the discarded text to remain on the page as a ghostly presence, while she highlights the marginal line-numbers that allude to the sonnets' canonization.
150 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
11 people are currently reading
449 people want to read
About the author
Jen Bervin
18 books16 followersPoet and visual artist Jen Bervin's work brings together text and textile in a practice that encompasses poetry, archival research, artist books, and large-scale art works. Her poetry/artist books include The Dickinson Composites (Granary Books 2010), The Silver Book (Ugly Duckling Presse 2010), The Desert (Granary 2008), A Non- Breaking Space (UDP 2005), The Red Box (2004), and Nets (UDP 2004). She has work forthcoming in I'll Drown My Book: Conceptual Writing by Women (Les Figues Press) and Figuring Color (ICA Boston/ Hatje Cantz).
Bervin's work is included in the upcoming exhibition "Postscript" on 21st century conceptual writing and text-based art at the Denver Museum of Contemporary Art. Her work has been shown at The Walker Art Center and is in many special collections including The J. Paul Getty Museum, Stanford University, the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library at Yale University, Bibliothèque Nationale de France, and the British Library. She has received fellowships in art and writing from The Josef and Anni Albers Foundation, The New York Foundation for the Arts, Centrum, The MacDowell Colony, Visual Studies Workshop, and The Camargo Foundation. Bervin has taught recently at Harvard University and Vermont College of Fine Arts, and will be a Von Hess Visiting Artist at the Borowsky Center for Publication Arts at The University of the Arts in 2012. She lives and works in Brooklyn, New York.
Bervin's work is included in the upcoming exhibition "Postscript" on 21st century conceptual writing and text-based art at the Denver Museum of Contemporary Art. Her work has been shown at The Walker Art Center and is in many special collections including The J. Paul Getty Museum, Stanford University, the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library at Yale University, Bibliothèque Nationale de France, and the British Library. She has received fellowships in art and writing from The Josef and Anni Albers Foundation, The New York Foundation for the Arts, Centrum, The MacDowell Colony, Visual Studies Workshop, and The Camargo Foundation. Bervin has taught recently at Harvard University and Vermont College of Fine Arts, and will be a Von Hess Visiting Artist at the Borowsky Center for Publication Arts at The University of the Arts in 2012. She lives and works in Brooklyn, New York.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
April 21, 2017
This fascinating and lovely book of erasure poems was created using the sonnets (hence the name "nets" from "sonnets"). The lines were "erased" leaving only a few words and phrases. Those remaining words form the poem.
The is not as simple as it might sound and certainly not to do well. The poems in Nets are haunting and delicate. I would quote here but the spaces not used are as important, it would seem to me, as the words that appear. The pages look beautiful, with the soft gray of the rest of Shakespeare's texts cushioning the bold black of the chosen words. The poetry appeals visually, acoustically, as well as with its images created.
I have become deeply interested in this form and look forward to reading more of this kind of poetry. I am happy to have begun with Bervin's excellent work.
The is not as simple as it might sound and certainly not to do well. The poems in Nets are haunting and delicate. I would quote here but the spaces not used are as important, it would seem to me, as the words that appear. The pages look beautiful, with the soft gray of the rest of Shakespeare's texts cushioning the bold black of the chosen words. The poetry appeals visually, acoustically, as well as with its images created.
I have become deeply interested in this form and look forward to reading more of this kind of poetry. I am happy to have begun with Bervin's excellent work.
February 15, 2017
In erasure there must be revelation, and the presentation of these fine little poems emphasizes that - black words plucked from the pale source, the sonnets set upon the creamy page with nothing on the opposite page to distract the reader.
Many of these poems stand strongly on their own. But it’s not possible for me to divorce the poems themselves from the concept and the presentation, so where some of the poems would perhaps not stand as well alone, I open my eyes wider and take in the full text, and the poem found inside it, and all I can say is “wow.”
I don’t buy the oft-touted view that one must find something totally new in erasure poetry, that the found poem should be completely independent of the source text. If that’s the case then why do erasure at all? The source is going to offer possibilities and choices. The source is at the poet’s disposal, and will set limits. The source is not going to predetermine, but it is going to influence.
I love Jen Bervin’s note at the end of the book: “When we write poems, the history of poetry is with us, pre-inscribed in the white of the page.”
Here is an excerpt that should help you decide if you are interested in owning this book: http://www.conjunctions.com/webcon/be...
Many of these poems stand strongly on their own. But it’s not possible for me to divorce the poems themselves from the concept and the presentation, so where some of the poems would perhaps not stand as well alone, I open my eyes wider and take in the full text, and the poem found inside it, and all I can say is “wow.”
I don’t buy the oft-touted view that one must find something totally new in erasure poetry, that the found poem should be completely independent of the source text. If that’s the case then why do erasure at all? The source is going to offer possibilities and choices. The source is at the poet’s disposal, and will set limits. The source is not going to predetermine, but it is going to influence.
I love Jen Bervin’s note at the end of the book: “When we write poems, the history of poetry is with us, pre-inscribed in the white of the page.”
Here is an excerpt that should help you decide if you are interested in owning this book: http://www.conjunctions.com/webcon/be...
August 2, 2024
“I stripped Shakespeare’s sonnets bare to the ‘nets’ to make the space of the poems open, porous, possible—a divergent elsewhere."
September 2, 2024
Jen Bervin's "Nets" is a unique poetic work that reimagines Shakespeare's sonnets. It is written by selectively erasing portions of the original sonnets, leaving behind a new, minimalist poem. It's so beautiful in its simplicity.
Bervin challenges traditional concepts of authorship, poetry, and interpretation by creating a dialogue between the original text and the new text –revealing new meanings and interpretations. She doesn just erase Shakespeare's sonnets to create new meaning. Oh no, she allows the erased words to be faintly visible, letting the reader see both the original and the new text simultaneously. By selectively “erasing” parts of the sonnets, she emphasizes certain themes or creates entirely new meanings, offering a modern reflection on the timelessness of Shakespeare's work.
I adored the blank spaces– the things that are left unsaid– not just because of the aesthetic but because those blank spaces are as important as the words that remain. Bervin encourages the readers to think about the power of omission and what is implied rather than stated outright. She also challenges readers to think about poetry in new ways. The readers of Nets play an active role in the creation of meaning. The original text is still partially visible which may tempt readers to reconstruct the original sonnet or consider how the erased and remaining words interact, which requires a more interactive reading.
The beauty with this kind of poetry is that multiple interpretations are possible, and the poems often resist a single, definitive reading. Everytime I start reading I see something new. This openness definitely invites you to bring your own perspectives to the text, making each reading an unique experience
Bervin challenges traditional concepts of authorship, poetry, and interpretation by creating a dialogue between the original text and the new text –revealing new meanings and interpretations. She doesn just erase Shakespeare's sonnets to create new meaning. Oh no, she allows the erased words to be faintly visible, letting the reader see both the original and the new text simultaneously. By selectively “erasing” parts of the sonnets, she emphasizes certain themes or creates entirely new meanings, offering a modern reflection on the timelessness of Shakespeare's work.
I adored the blank spaces– the things that are left unsaid– not just because of the aesthetic but because those blank spaces are as important as the words that remain. Bervin encourages the readers to think about the power of omission and what is implied rather than stated outright. She also challenges readers to think about poetry in new ways. The readers of Nets play an active role in the creation of meaning. The original text is still partially visible which may tempt readers to reconstruct the original sonnet or consider how the erased and remaining words interact, which requires a more interactive reading.
The beauty with this kind of poetry is that multiple interpretations are possible, and the poems often resist a single, definitive reading. Everytime I start reading I see something new. This openness definitely invites you to bring your own perspectives to the text, making each reading an unique experience
November 4, 2011
Such a beautiful, simple idea, I'd wondered why it hadn't been done before. After reading Nick Flynn's The Captain Asks for a Show of Hands, I grew really interested in redactions/erasures, and at the recommendation of a coworker, I picked up Nets. Bervin has done a really masterful job pulling out new poems, and unlike a few people here, I really did think they were all high quality, beautiful pieces that could stand well on their own. (Though I'm glad to have the palimpsest behind it as well.) One day, I'd love to see the original manuscript.
May 20, 2023
An ambivalent, sly anti-tribute to Shakespeare, printed beautifully by Ugly Duckling Presse. Bervin’s redaction decisions are made all the thicker by the decision to retain the “original” sonnets, in varying shades of greyscale, on the page behind them, creating a choral effect / affect. This book is an absolute gem, and instructive in some of the possibilities unique to the book as a physical, care-fully printed archive.
September 26, 2019
[rating = A-]
One of my: Best Books of the Year (for 2019)
"hoisted sail / transport me / Bring me within / your wake" (117).
I one of the best lines I have read this summer, this year even. "Nets" is a long "light-erasure" of the majority of Shakespeare's Son"nets". Unlike most erasure, she leaves most of Shakespeare's sonnet in lighter color, keeping her selected "fishes" of words in black. Very unique and allowing for the reader to either add on or leave as whilst reading. There is a kind of longing for love and voice and language (specifically to express one's self). It seems that the main theme is a want for love, but it is not a "wanting", a "possessing" that is violent or malign. Rather, it is a hope with large holes to make sure nothing is hurt in the "tender embassy" of exchange. At first it was hard to follow; the limited punctuation does not lend itself to assisting the reading. Really, one must patch together the various lines, threads, strings of words that can work with the previous word/phrase or the next word/phrase. This is wonderfully open; it is porous and allows for multiple interpretations. However, the author's own voice slips through and between the strung netting, getting lost at times. All in all, this was a great experiment and was hugely successful!
One of my: Best Books of the Year (for 2019)
"hoisted sail / transport me / Bring me within / your wake" (117).
I one of the best lines I have read this summer, this year even. "Nets" is a long "light-erasure" of the majority of Shakespeare's Son"nets". Unlike most erasure, she leaves most of Shakespeare's sonnet in lighter color, keeping her selected "fishes" of words in black. Very unique and allowing for the reader to either add on or leave as whilst reading. There is a kind of longing for love and voice and language (specifically to express one's self). It seems that the main theme is a want for love, but it is not a "wanting", a "possessing" that is violent or malign. Rather, it is a hope with large holes to make sure nothing is hurt in the "tender embassy" of exchange. At first it was hard to follow; the limited punctuation does not lend itself to assisting the reading. Really, one must patch together the various lines, threads, strings of words that can work with the previous word/phrase or the next word/phrase. This is wonderfully open; it is porous and allows for multiple interpretations. However, the author's own voice slips through and between the strung netting, getting lost at times. All in all, this was a great experiment and was hugely successful!
February 3, 2017
Truly inspired. Bervin does an erasure of Shakespearean sonnets that are not erasures at all, living within the (still readable text), and jumping to the fore. The poems that result are extremely spare, but are gorgeous and thoughtful, both on their own, and as a commentary to the original. This is the kind of text that doesn't take up a lot of your time, but does absolutely incredible things with what it is. I could not possibly recommend this book enough to lovers of poetry and also to those who aren't sure about the form.
Read
July 12, 2009A must have. Not just to read, but to own. Erasures of Wm. Shakespeare's sonnets. It does good things to the brain.
August 23, 2023
This was not a great book. I maybe could have given it three stars for the idea but that’s one of the few things that this book has going for it imo. The poetry is not often inspiring and Shakespeare’s johnsons are almost alway better/more interesting to me. I also think that fact that I liked a bunch of the early ones and then none of the later ones leaves me on a sour note, artificially deflating my rating. Idea, font, and page design is better than the actual writing/word play if you can even call it that. Idea is great though. Four star idea. Mid ass execution(I could not do any better)
May 25, 2021
I thought this was really beautiful; definitely evokes—or rather is—a palimpsest, which I think remains one of the best conceptual frameworks to think of texts.
November 11, 2013
A fascinating book. Shakespeare's Sonnets are printed in halftone, and Bervin has chosen certain words and phrases to print in full, ordinary black type. So you can read the sonnet as a ghostly form "behind" the poem Bervin has created. I don't think he has made full use of the meanings of the Sonnets, but then again it's only right that his own interests, slightly constrained by Shakespeare's choice of words, Here are two examples (you have to imagine the halftone words that separate these words Bervin has selected)
heed this privilege
The hardest knife
and another:
I am[
vanishing or vanished
in these black lines
The book rewards re-reading. It is also beautifully designed by the wonderful Ugly Duckling Presse.
heed this privilege
The hardest knife
and another:
I am[
vanishing or vanished
in these black lines
The book rewards re-reading. It is also beautifully designed by the wonderful Ugly Duckling Presse.
May 3, 2017
This was a very interesting concept in a book. I read it for a class and we had some curious exercise questions. How are you supposed to read it? Shakespeare and then Bervin? Bervin and then Shakespeare? Ignore Shakespeare and just read Bervin? Are you supposed to read each poem separately or like a cohesive story that continues from poem to poem? Why does Bervin skip sonnets? Who is the 'Will' in the dedication? Is she talking about Shakespeare? How would the concept of the book be changed if the title was something else gleaned from "The Sonnets of William Shakespeare?" Could Shakespeare sue Bervin for copyright laws?
June 18, 2019
I just LOVE this concept. Similar to blackout poetry, Bervin finds poems within Shakespeare's sonnets, yet chooses only to lighten the text she doesn't use (so you get two poems in one! Shakespeare's and hers). I've never seen anything like it in a published book, and I'm just so glad that my first experience with it was through Shakespeare. In fact, I'd been meaning to reread the sonnets as well as find some new poetry to peruse, and here this book was--a perfect mixture of the two. There were so many passages I underlined and poems that I put hearts around--it's well worth reading. Don't miss out!
Review cross-listed here!
Review cross-listed here!
April 4, 2016
Such an incredible book that blends something borrowed with something new. I truly loved this book as it ignited such a passion in me for erasure poetry! This was the first erasure that I had been exposed to and it's meaningful simplicity impacted me super positively. I liked mulling over the idea behind the title "Nets" and what that meant in relation to the text and how Jen Bervin styled her Erasure.
May 25, 2019
My favorite graduation gift.
A beautiful addition to the sonnet tradition. The tradition itself was built on the minute differences in imitating others (Petrarch, Wyatt, Surrey). She continues this tradition as she reworks the sonnets once again. I smile each time I pick it up and know I’ll find something wonderful.
My favorite sonnet, 73, is omitted from this collection. That’s the only thing standing in the way of a 5-star rating.
A beautiful addition to the sonnet tradition. The tradition itself was built on the minute differences in imitating others (Petrarch, Wyatt, Surrey). She continues this tradition as she reworks the sonnets once again. I smile each time I pick it up and know I’ll find something wonderful.
My favorite sonnet, 73, is omitted from this collection. That’s the only thing standing in the way of a 5-star rating.
March 29, 2017
Poignant and lovely. I've done this with several books and poets myself, but none of mine were as eloquent as Jen Bervin's. After she came to Huntingdon, I got the chance to have breakfast with her. She is just as eloquent and lovely in person as she is in this book.
July 14, 2020
After some discussion, this is a really beautiful and powerful book. The call and response between Jen Bervin and Shakespeare is intentional and honest and poignant. "Hold me to my name."
November 26, 2025
8 ‘In singleness the parts / Strike each in each // speechless song, being many, seeming one.’
22 ‘I am / of one date / in time’s furrows’
45 ‘my thought my desire / present-absent / In tender embassy’
68 ‘map // the / shorn away // map / what beauty was’
96 ‘those errors / translated for true / How many / translate / How many’
130 ‘I have seen roses / no such roses’
141 ‘a thousand // tender // leaves unsway / the likeness’
150 ‘that bright / becoming of things / in the very refuse / such strength’
22 ‘I am / of one date / in time’s furrows’
45 ‘my thought my desire / present-absent / In tender embassy’
68 ‘map // the / shorn away // map / what beauty was’
96 ‘those errors / translated for true / How many / translate / How many’
130 ‘I have seen roses / no such roses’
141 ‘a thousand // tender // leaves unsway / the likeness’
150 ‘that bright / becoming of things / in the very refuse / such strength’
February 14, 2023
As an M.A. thesis, Jen's "practice of dislocation" is brilliant in tone and purpose. The execution, however, does not feel complete to me. This is a HIGHLY ambitious project (I mean... with Shakespeare?) (perhaps it does not help I am a slut for Willy Shakes in the first place). Some pieces absolutely floored me ("the stars / the selfsame sky / for love of you"), but overall, Bervin's Nets (get it? SonNETS?) did not scratch the linguistic-playground-itch I was seeking.
September 17, 2023
Två saker simultant, man tittar på två saker simultant och gör två läsningar simultant; man ser och läser konceptet och man ser och läser de dikter som konceptet mynnat ut i, och då istället för att dessa förstärker varandra så flackar blicken fram och tillbaka, och i slutändan så är varken konceptet eller dikterna (och deras kommentar om Shakespears originalverk) tillräckligt starka i egen rätt, eller som kombination. Det hela blir för tunt.
June 12, 2017
Amazing
February 13, 2019
Less thrilling and challenging than Bervin's Silk Poems, yet still a pleasant scan of the Bard's sonnets.
March 23, 2020
Some of these erasure poems HIT, but a lot of them also fell pretty flat for me
One of my favorites:
150-
that bright becoming of things
in the very refuse
such strength
One of my favorites:
150-
that bright becoming of things
in the very refuse
such strength
July 2, 2022
Compellingly quick read that I want to revisit more and more. I think there is something further in here that the poems' porousness offers, but I can't quite see it now.
September 26, 2025
shakespeare made new
March 17, 2021
very pretty little book, fun way to both read the original sonnets and get some bonus poems to boot.
February 27, 2013
Read this book first time through paying attention only to Bervin's (so to speak) text. Some great poems/lines smattered amidst other underwhelming ones. Next I went back and began re-reading by first taking in the original sonnet followed by Bervin's erasure-created piece. When viewed in that context, going from Big Willy to JB, the project as a whole was underwhelming due in part to the brevity of the pieces and in part to the fact that . . . well, it's Shakespeare. Come on.
Having felt that I would get more out of that second reading, I was disappointed and left feeling kind of cheated. Taking in both pieces in quick succession immediately exploited the gimmickry at work here.
However, two stars for that initial reading which was at times delightful.
Having felt that I would get more out of that second reading, I was disappointed and left feeling kind of cheated. Taking in both pieces in quick succession immediately exploited the gimmickry at work here.
However, two stars for that initial reading which was at times delightful.
December 8, 2014
Jen Bervin is a visual artist as well as a poet (I recommend everyone check out the Dickinson Composites, which are, as my professor called them, a "restorative translation" of Dickinson's work) and Nets is more visually stunning than it is amazing poetry. There are many poems which I quite liked, though it just didn't resonate with me as many other poems by other authors do. The whole book, however, from the cover to the type face to the bold black text rising above the wispy grey text, is beautiful. It's the type of book where you'll refuse to dog ear a page or underline a sonically-pleasuring turn of phrase because the book should be preserved in as pristine a condition as you found it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews