Review of "At Bay" by Carl Phillips

"At Bay" by Carl Phillips was offered by Poets.org's Poem-A-Day on December 3, 2013.  A link to the poem, including the poet's notes, may be found here:

http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/23788

Carl Phillips (b. 1959) is Professor of English and of African American Studies and a teacher in the Creative Writing Program at Washington University in St. Louis.  He is the author of many books of poetry and the recipient of numerous awards and literary honors.  A detailed biography may be found here:

http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/247?utm_source=PAD%3A+At+Bay+by+Carl+Phillips&utm_campaign=poemaday_120313&utm_medium=email

"At Bay" moves from one image to another, often bridging the rapid changes with puns.  A "swallow," the bird, transforms into "swallowing,"which further transforms into something "difficult to swallow."  That "something" is doing a job that one dislikes but that one has to do.