Andris Alps's Debut Poetry Collection: A Melancholic Tale of Family, Growing Up and Clouds
Poet and prose writer Andris Alps has published his first book, a poetry collection. Reviewer Dace Rukšāne describes it as melancholic, story-driven and emotionally powerful.
Latvian poet and prose writer Andris Alps, who has been publishing in various cultural media for several years, has released his debut book, a collection of poems. In a review published in January 2025, literary critic Dace Rukšāne says it would be hard to find anything similar in Latvian literature. The editor of the book is Ivars Šteinbergs.
Themes and structure
The reviewer notes that some of the themes – family, growing up, alcohol and substances – recall the first collection by poet Jānis Tomašs. She calls the comparison a compliment.
Every poem by Alps is not only poetic but also tells a story. Rukšāne links this to the author's background as a prose writer. The stories are mostly sad and melancholic, with only an occasional glimmer of hope. The collection deals with relationships with parents, friends and girlfriends, as well as with the city. Its sections are named after clouds. The reviewer explains that clouds always cover the sun, so readers should not expect bright radiance, but that they can also offer shelter from overly harsh sunlight, which can itself destroy.
The reviewer's experience
Rukšāne says she had not cried while reading poetry for a long time, yet the tears began with the very first poem. In it, a child is wheeled in a pram through warm light, and life is compared to a "uniquely beautiful film that is shown only once". At the end the screen goes dark, and the character gets up and walks away. The review's headline comes from this line.
The reviewer does not claim that others will cry in the same way. She adds that perhaps she has simply entered a period in which she keenly feels how fleeting childhood and life are. She says she recently also wept at "Indrāni", a production directed by Gerda Lapoška. In her view, the lines of this book can move readers, provided they are ready for it. She herself says the collection touched her to the depths of her heart.
