Venus and the Rain--Medbh McGuckian

It seems like McGuckian's volume is--in many ways--the anthesis of Ryan's work. Instead of obscurring meaning with too few words, Ms. McGuckian uses an abundance of words with complicated, topsy-turvy syntax. Her imagery is ornate and unpredictable. Here's a good example from "Freeze-Up":

The change in your voice when speaking
Is like an orange in a snowdrift, the warmth
Of its pocket.

The unexpected combination of orange, snow, and pocket makes the reader stop and think--but there is not always a conclusion that can be readily drawn. The imagery in "Venus and the Rain" relies a lot on nature to describe romance and femininity, such as in "Aviary":

You call me an aspen, tree of the woman's
Tongue, but if my longer and longer sentences
Prove me wholly female, I'd be persimmon,
And good kindling, to us both.

In "Aviary," McGuckian also includes imagery with roses, gardens, foliage, snow, and birds...I'm not sure that this is always effective, since such images are common symbols for feminine love. I think that her simile with speaking and orange is more effective because it is unexpected. At the same time, the value of being unexpected and fresh has to be tempered with the need to be sensical. From my reading so far, McGuckian has a tendency toward stringing together pretty, lyrical words that don't create real lucid thoughts. Figuring out the occasion/intention is not particularly easy for the reader.