Poetry Books

I began reading Deb's book and ended up reading it twice in the same night. I found so much wisdom and comfort in her words. I felt every word. She is truly a gifted writer. If you have not read her book "Pausing to catch my breath...", you should. It would also make a wonderful gift for your mother, sister or best girlfriend. Her poems speak to the heart. This is one book I would like to keep close and read when I am feeling down or need to know someone else out there understands.

Debra A Warren's, Pausing To Catch My Breath is a fabulous read!
As I perused each poem, I felt like I knew her family members and that I was one of the priviledged few who got a glimpse into her private diary of life. Her words captivate and encircle your heart and mind with each line of text. Debra's book is more than her poetry, it's her world and I am proud that I had the distinct honor of reading and critiquing such profound work. It's a must read for anyone who loves poetry and can appreciate life's lessons.

Terri Ann Armstrong
Author of My Soul Has Spoken

Debra A. Warren brings forth poems that are very creative adn inspirational. In this book she takes the reader through her life experiences with poetry that makes a person think about their own life experiences. You can feel the emotions she wants to convey in each and every poem. There are emotions of every kind expressed. I've enjoyed reading this book and would recommend any poetry lovers read it. It is a very good book.
Julie A. Bowles

I received Debra's book yesterday. With a hot cup of coffee, the kids asleep, and in my comfy lounge chair, I began reading.
I couldn't help myself, but to read the entire book. I didn't know what she'd be writing next, so I just keep reading and turning the pages.

Many of the author's poems that have touched her life, has touched mine, and I'm sure many other people. What she writes about is what happens to every woman at some point. Happiness, Sadness, Death, Heartache, and being Blessed with Children, and then Grandchilden. Her poems have the ability, though they came from her heart, to touch so many others.

I hope to see more of her work published. I truly enjoyed reading "Pausing to Catch my Breath".

"Pausing to Catch my Breath" warms the cockles of my heart. The author Debra A. Warren shares her innermost self and her life experiences in this beautifully written, captivating book of poetry. She weaves a poetic tales to which we all can relate.
Debra A. Warren has certainly found an effective way to reminisce about `Life Reflections,' `Family Ties,' and `the Ups and Downs of love.' We have all experienced these emotions, made the wishes and had our share of heart rending, life changing romances.
"Pausing to Catch my Breath' is lighthearted, insightful and thought invoking. It evokes memories of yesteryear. Kick back, relax or snuggle up with a cup of beverage of choice and a copy of "Pausing to Catch my Breath" and you will not be disappointed. It makes a beautiful gift for book lovers of all ages.
Pamela deLeon-Lewis

Now that I have purchased this one as well as Verismo, I have come to love this one even more. I again have many, many favorites and was very difficult to choose just one favorite! But, through reading more and more, I have found one to call my own!
Again, thank you Dech, for making my mind go deep inside my inner souls of souls, and realize the ways of our worlds. I
Love you my friend and I CANNOT wait to get my hands on Puppets mountain!

Decheonbae is a very good writer and he really knows his stuff. Iwas given this book for a gift now I buy this book to give to others!

Pearls of Justice seems to cover everything in a poetical way-life, dreams, and society. This is not your run of the mill poetry book! This is a book of reason and Justice for self and humanity, I am confident that Decheonbae is only going to higher levels in his next set of writing's but somehow I think he did it now. I can only be amazed of what this man do next because he is breaking all traditional barriers! I must say he is a challenging young indivisual with a extreme view on life and I am glad that I finally recieved my book! I must say like the others, this book is definetly 'something new and promissing"-this man got talent and from what I've been hearing "VERISMO" is a must have! I just want to say keep it up Decheonbae Jones, I can tell you have what it takes thus more.

Hello every one I am new to Decheonbae Jones poetry and must say he is a GOD in my book. You can not deny him and the treasure he posses in the meaning behind his works. I am a very shock on the way that he just jumps out on you and really explains the humanity of truth, I swear he is bonafide and gifted in the arts. My job seems so much easier now with his knowledge,I don't see how he can possibilty do better than VERISMO but if he do I will be there. "Hey DECHEONBAE if you write a novel what is it going to be about, I really want to know more of your mind!"

'Love it was robust..."

This is Poetry of an different style, Evil; but sacred genius of description- Possible but Known Humanity, Robust passions in a way of grains, Plus love of non-fictional-bless too beyond mistakes, My pattern yet they are lost into jeopardy- Perhaps I am of who you thought, So Behold I am in danger but Love was Pre-hemp too past tense then Rehearse of cause general, ... - By Decheonbae Thanks you Jones, ...

THE ONLY POET...-:!!!111,

The new book sooner than you think my love "PuppetsMountain,"

Decheonbae Jones- Welcome'

I bought this book, and Merrit's book, "My Song for Him Who Never Sang for Me" Both were very inspiring and had a lasting effect in my life. Unfortunately, both books were lost in a fire. I'm desparate to find another copy of each. If you have one, or if you know where I can get one, please e-mail me at "TROCOLO@AOL.COM". Two of my favorite poems were, "The Maintenance Man" and a poem about a "Flight at JFK". If I could even get copies of those two poems, I'd be so delighted. Thanks.

She is the bomb. Creative, deep, whimisical, intelligent, I honestly have never read better poetry. Her words transend unexaplanable emotions and experiences to light. Buy this book

I have been reading her books since my teen years. She inspired me in ways I only wish I could tell her about ! Her books have made be laugh , cry , grow stronger and brought me many hours of deep thought. I only hope Mom's hand her books down to thier daughters , I have and she writes poetry now that is amazing ! Thank you Merrit ....Where ever you are.

I read it seven years ago at the age of 17. I've been a poet since I was 10, but had only envisioned poetry as poetry when it rhymed until Merrit who turned her work loose on me. I read her entire book of poetry in an hour or so (if it took that long... maybe longer). I had checked it out from the library. At the time I picked up her book I was stuck in the forced rhyme stage... producing maybe a good poem here and there. Her book, through a style I was unfamiliar with, was put right in my face. A style I'd never thought of. Never could find but was always looking for. It's a delicate style of experiences spoken almost in the average language with a lot of puns and perhaps raw surprises along the ending... sometimes tossed throughought or just raw truths that pull you in to experience that specific moment.

You begin to imagine an entire life that this person went through, perhaps her, perhaps not. Maybe a bit of both. On my own terms I've come a long way since her book. Driven into a style of my own because of Merrit's book. It showed me a new kind of poetry. It's beautiful through its simplicity. Since then her book has given me a need for more poetic food. From that one book I've been led to a path that has kept me from making a mistake most poets make. Trying to re-create a new poem through a previous poem's success.

Great poems cannot be a duplicate of another. You can't give one poem the same sound or voice as another or it will fail. The beginning of that failure being the lack in your sincerity. It has to stand on its own--not be a crutch to another poem. Each poem needs your unique devotion. It's a love affair with each one! If you're cheating then it will never truly feel like a poem to those who care about their work. It will be like an out of tune key on a piano that just keeps rubbing you the wrong way. A bad itch.

So although I love Merrit's work, her book has shown me that I don't have to duplicate her voice, but find my own. Her style is her style and that's what makes her book so fantastic. She created her own concept of poetry. So now when anyone asks who my favorite poet is... it's not hard to find an answer. Her book of poetry is the only book I've found that's amazing in its entire volume. Since then I've still only found tidbits here and there... a poem here and there that I like from each poet. Never an entire volume of work like I found in Merrit Malloy's work.

For years I was snoozing when I read poems wondering why I was so bored... then I caught sight of her book and found it was all in the style of poetry and most poetry is boring! Which is why it's so great when you can actually find a poet that can write more than maybe 2-3 poems that you love! It's rare.

I had no idea who Merrit Malloy was until I read this book on my sisters desk, I've been writing poetry ever since. The words written here are from the heart of every woman and are captured perfectly. I'm now trying to publish my own work mainly inspired by her style and type of writting. It's everyday common sense poems let me know that someone else is feeling the same things I am. Most people I know that love Malloy's work are older of the 60's and 70's generation. I'm only 20 and esteem her with poets like Frost and Whitman. So you now know the Mtv generation loves your poems as well as everyone else. Thank you.

While there are other good translations of selections from the Canzoniere, Petrarcch's masterpiece needs to be read as a whole from start to finish in order to be fully appreciated. Petrarch planned and rewrote these poems in order to fit into an overall plan.
Usually I skip introductions to works that I read but I read the first paragraph of the extensive introduction and was quickly drawn in. This introduction was actualy a helpful prologue to the poetry which descibed Petrach's styles and intentions.
A blurb on the book cover says that Musa's treanslations read so well that you are unaware that they are translations. I certainly agree. I do not read Italian but this edition does conain the originals on the adjacent side.
I was surprised at the modernity and musicality of the poems. Petrarch was not just inflouential in his versification but also in his language. Much of his humanistic language has become second nature to us but he invented it.
I rank this book as not only some of the graetest poetry but as one ofthe great works of Western llterature.
These "little songs" are highly readble and like a said before form a sort of novelistic story that I would highly recommend to not just poetry readers but all readers.

In addition to one of the finest translations, Musa provides much useful background information. He includes a chronological table that comprises when the poems were written and times when the events occurred in Petrarch's live. The notes and commentary, not footnoted but located separately from the poems in a chapter at the end of the book, are detailed descriptions about the poems and its allegories. Musa tells readers about the name "Laura" and its connection to the laurel. Through the various explanations of Italian lyrics, readers learn how to differentiate between various poetic genres. The book also has the original Italian text as well as the English translation, so that readers can compare them. It is a great way to learn how to read Italian. Another important feature is the works cited because scholars can seek the same readings that Musa used for his book. And also, the index of the first lines is very helpful when one remembers a few beginning words of the poem and wants to know where it is located in the book. This edition is a must for anyone who collects the works of Petrarca.

Musa's translations preserve all the brilliant visionary beauty & humble humanness of Petrarch's voice. & where would western literature be without Petrarch? He was one of the main people to bring Europe out of the Middle Ages.

Petrarch, an Italian poet in the early 1300's, had a major influence on English literature in the 16th and 17th centuries. In a series of sonnets that became known as Canzoniere, Petrarch focused on his idea of love based on the sighting of a woman named Laura in a church. Though she was married, Petrarch confessed his love to her but was rebuked each time. With his love unreturned, he channeled that energy into his poetry and instead of trying to persuade Laura, his poetry idealizes and describes the concepts related to beauty. The poetry of the "lover" to the "beloved" describes Laura with "godly" attributes. The beloved is a woman who has an angelic appearance and a certain grace in her mannerisms. Physically, the beloved has blonde hair, blue eyes and pale white skin with red cheeks. She is radiant in appearance and can strike a man's heart in seconds. In addition, Petrarch's writing mechanics influenced the style in which future poems were written. Petrarch's poetry also followed a distinct meter, usually an octave scale. Petrarch's deliberate style and notion of beauty found in his sonnets set a new standard for writing.

Sidney, Spencer, and even Shakespeare were familiar with, and heavily influenced by, Petrarch's work. Other English poets like Henry Howard and Sir Thoms Wyatt tried to translate Petrarch's poetry. In order to understand this entire time peroid, one should go back to the roots and read the original. Mark Musa's translation includes the original Italian version as well as an excellent English translation. My professors also use this book because the translations stay as close to the original as possible. Though something is always lost in translation, these poems feel as if they are whole, and should be read as one long story. Musa's critical notes at the end of the book provide excellent insight into Petrarch's style, form and meaning. This is a great version of the Canzoniere and I highly recommend it.

This edition of Petrarch's Canzoniere (trans. Mark Musa) is the best English rendering I have seen. Durling's edition, while useful in different ways (I would certainly reccommend both to anyone seriously interested in Petrarch), doesn't provide translations that are nearly as poetic or comfortable as these. Musa's experience from translating Dante's Divine Comedy and Vita Nuova, Boccaccio's Decameron, and even, previously, portions of Petrarch's Canzoniere, definitely shines through here - Musa knows his way around the Italian greats, and it shows in this translation.

I grew up with this book in our family library. There was always a poem for me to copy for every occasion that I would write to someone, need a speech for school, or to enclose in a birthday or special occasion card. The style of each poem was universal. I NEED THIS BOOK! And now I can't find it anywhere. I'd be happy to get a second hand copy if nothing else. Still searching in Oregon but worth the effort!

I just read James J. Melcalfe's book titled, "More Poem Portraits." I loved it! I would really like to purchase a copy of it for myself. In fact, I would purchase copies to be used as gifts for friends. (The book I read is very old and belongs to a friend.)

I've loved his poems since reading them as a daily feature in the Charleston News & Courier in the 1950's. I have searched for this author's works in every library I've visited. No one has ever heard of him. Where can I find the source of "Garden in My Heart" and "Poem Portraits" -- surely it isn't hopeless! His poetry has a quiet and gentle charm that reaches right into one's heart and stays there for years.

I have loved these poems since the 50s and cut one out of the newspaper in 1956 and still have it. Since then I have started a collection of his books. I now have 5 of them and still looking for "Garden in My Heart". I have a website of James J. Metcalfe Poems. Let me know if you know where I can find "Garden in My Heart".

I have three books by J.J.Metcalfe that I founded at a second hand store, Poem Portraits,Poem Portraits of Inspiration, and Love Portraits I loved them all and I can not get enough of his work now I'm looking for his other six books Garden in my Heart, More Poem Portraits, Daily Poem Portraits, Poem Portraits of the Saints, Poems for Children, and My Rosary of Rhymes does any one know where I my find any of the books I named?

It is bracing to read a collection of verse that sustains the manuscript's title throughout the publication. The book is subcategorized into eight sections with an Addendum, and the entire assemblage maintains one unmistakeable theme: America's Prison System Does Not Work.

The first poem in Part I, PERSPECTIVE, is the title poem, "Poetic Justice". The poem bluntly states that we should "Build prisons/not daycare/lock 'em up/what do we care?" with a cynical slant, but it is clear that Professor Johnson writes with authority.

Section V, "THE CORPORATE BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER" gives the reader a collection of five pieces written in the form of a 'prayer-book'. The second poem, called A PATRIARCH'S PROTOCOL, is a prayer in the tone of Psalms 32, with phrases riddled throughout such as, "...hollow be/Thy Claim/Thy Fortune Come/They will be Mum/On CNN/and before Congress/..."--just one example of the metaphorical wit that Mr. Johnson uses throughout the book. I especially liked Section VII's poem called GLOBAL VILLAGE LIFE, where we "...forget about victims of injustice, real and imagined,/whose resentments simmer and boil/just below the surface of village life..." A profound piece.

His voice changes throughout the book, from the voice of an executioner, to a man on death row, to a lamenting mother of a convicted felon. The empathy that the writer conveys gives the reader a sense of understanding that wouldn't be possible had just any poet/writer tried to create such a unique collection. Johnson's involvement with the corporate-controlled prison system gives him an advantage, and the collection rings honest and forthright.

The poems remind us that the concept of vengeance leads our society to an inevitable path of constant retaliation, and a system based on regressive practices is bound to fail--not only for the "prisoners", but for the corrections employees and the victims as well.

There are several poems that are characteristic of Johnson's intrinsic, fluid wit, each one worth savoring not only for their lucidity--which is no simple task for many poets--but for the edification that these poems extend to the reader.

The entire collection comprising POETIC JUSTICE is heroic, to say the least. Robert Johnson not only offers up technically balanced and concise verses, but they bear the stamp of honest, as well. The arenas of our imperfect justice system merit a reawakening in our society, and this book not only helps to clarify exactly what is wrong with "justice", but it vilifies the fallacy that all is well within our courts. All in all, I was left with a sense of America's perpetual proclivity towards the scales of justice leaning more towards the inequitable, which is, in itself, a sort of Poetic Justice.

Robert Johnson's work, starting with classic texts such as Death Work, resonates with layers of meaning and a passionate conviction that without a commitment to justice, life is not worth living. For years he has been inspiring students and scholars of justice and law across the world not only to do probing analyses but also to make changes in their lives and their work. Now, with his first book of poems, Poetic Justice, Johnson reaches out to a wider audience of readers, bringing his passionate scrutiny of injustice to life with words that sing out the wrongs of contemporary society and the confusion of vengeance with justice. His "Police line: Do not cross," ironically intertwines the call to order and the institution of policing and the inadequacies of our own internal governance. His "Reptile House" provides a chilling and powerful metaphoric exploration of the prison experience. Throughout this collection, Johnson's insightful use of irony, metaphor, incisive allusion, and rhythm brings to life terror and brutality in the justice system and makes real the necessary and fundamental insight that we have all been wronged, that we all are victims of injustice as well as purveyors of it, and that to move forward toward a more just society, we must all recognize ourselves in each other. Johnson's poems do just this. They should be read and re-read by all who are concerned about inhumanity and injustice, all who are concerned about constructing a better and more just society.

In the work Poetic Justice, Rob Johnson takes the reader on a fascinating portrayal of life as an inmate experiences it. Johnson eloquently humanizes the prison experience, and in so doing allows the reader an intimate exposure to the world of the incarcerated. The raw and often dispassionate views are real and force the reader to realize just how ineffective our modern prison system is. The empathy that is often conveyed in even the most simple of passages is disturbing and challenges all who read these verses to recognize the need to rectify societies thirst for vengeance and retribution while adopting solutions that are not only theoreticaly sound but practically effective as well. Our modern prison system is in an imbalanced impasse where both staff and inmates co-exist in a limbo of uncertainty of each other, and where human congestion results in a gauntlet of violence, greed and desperation.

As a college instructor, I have found this reader to be of utmost value in having students relate many of the theories of criminology that we study in class to the verses of the poems.
The very first poem which uses the book's title "Poetic Justice" emphasizes a collaboration of conflict theory and class hostility, along with social structural theories such as disorganization and strain theory in which the author posits "Build prisons not day-care, lock 'em up what do we care? Hire cops, not counselors, staff courts, not clinics, wage warfare, not welfare." Our system of government, schools, and employment often creates the very problems they portend to deal with by not providing the assistance, education, employment and comunity programs where needed. The government advocates punishment over rehabilitation and structural services to provide for the poor and disenfranchised. With limited opportunities, disillusionment grows as does poverty and crime.

In another poem entitled "Busted," the author relates "You thought you'd make a big score, now you face the prison door." "But once we tag you a criminal, we hate to let you go." "Busted, sitting in a squad car,...looking in the rearview mirror at the life you left behind." In this selection, classical theory with it's emphasis on "free will" is evident along with social strain, particularly institutional anomie and relative deprivation, to convey the feeling of being busted. Labeling thoery is also examined through a series of successful degradation ceremonies of a a life of freedom now squandered for a life behind bars.

In "Colder" a violent offender has turned to crime as a result of weakened social bonds. Indeed, he is often cold and calculating, "disconnected," and numb to emotion like a machine or "robot." Since his primary source of socialization was absent during his early childhood, little was learned of compassion and comfort, he feels no attachment to his victims. He lacked the discipline, care and support offered by strong family ties. There is no containment, self-enhancement, or strong bonds or models to imitate. "He lives for revenge -cold world, cold comfort." He is doomed to a life of crime and misery. "There's no over the rainbow for this guy, just one long storm."

In classic Marxian taste, Johnson dispels any rumors that prisons are non-discriminating in the poem "Prison." His not so subtle use of such terms as "people of poverty," "working wounded," "dispossessed," and "discarded," clearly points to the prison industry as being created almost entirely with the thought of the poor and indigent in mind, indeed, to smother the hopes of the impoverished. Dehumanization and the ultimate sense of total exclusion from society is echoed in "Prison time out of sight, time out of mind, for those who don't toe the line." Still, one is left to wonder whether the inmate failed society or did society fail the inmate?

These were only a sampling of the many theoretical compositions that are readily apparent in these poems. In almost every case, several theories can be examined which is a great method to get students to understand the theories more concretely when used in the light of both prose and poetry. I highly recommend this reader for both undergraduate and graduate courses in criminology or criminal justice.

Poignant and powerful, lyrical and raw, Rob Johnson's poems make us feel and think about what the death penalty does to the condemned, and to us. A gem for lovers of poetry and undergraduates in criminal justice or ethics courses alike.

What a wonderful and unusual book! Robert Johnson, well-known for his scholarly analyses of the experiences of prisoners on death row and of their executioners, here presents poems that his studies have inspired him to write. While his rightly-acclaimed scholarly books tell us what his brain learned from studying the darkest corners of our criminal justice system, his poems tell us what his heart learned: "All of us, made/Cold as ice, hard as steel/unable to feel/the harm we do/in the name of justice." Anyone who wants a full understanding of criminal justice in America should not read only scholarly works of the sort that Johnson and others have written, but should read this book as well!

This is the Modern Library edition of the classic Dorothy Parker collection of stories and poems. If you want to introduce someone to Mrs. Parker - maybe with a birthday gift book - get this.

The first half is divided into verse from the collected editions Enough Rope, Sunset Gun, Death and Taxes; the second half is more than 25 short stories. It's a compact little hardcover book, with an old style typeface, and moderately priced. Even the dust jacket is classy.

This book is a compilation of all three of Parker's books of poetry as well as her published book of short stories. As for the price, it can't be beat, especially considering it's in hardcover. Plus, you also don't have to worry about buying 2 or 3 books to make sure you've got all of the poems you wanted.

Dorothy Parker's writing is fantastic anyway, and uses cynical wit to draw the reader into the poem. The reader laughs, but manages to feel empathetic. Her style is unique and doesn't seem outdated, even though most of this was written at least half a century ago. If you've ever wanted to laugh about being broken-hearted, this is the book for you.

Not that I dislike her poems (I only read about a dozen) but I bought this book primarily for the stories. And I still don't regret it. Parker's stories can be separated in 2 or 3 groups; the cleverly sarcastic ones (most of the stories I believe), the third-person narrative ones (much rarer) with a rather grave tone (quite emotionally loaded), and the third group I do not remember because I read this book a while ago. Bear with me...

I have to say that nearly all of these stories made me want to purchase a gun and start to kill people randomly. Why? Because Parker has a way to present us the unnice sides of humans in such a way that you feel it like a personal attack (not an attack from the author to you, but one from the characters to another character, and that will make you want to break something). I guess that means Dorothy is good at making the reader emotionally involved; and she is. However sarcastic and cynical she gets, you always know how to take it, you always know what it means. It's a bit like someone telling you something terribly sad and adding a smile to it; you know it does not mean they are happy at all, but you understand it in a deeper way. Sorry if this all sounds far-fetched and fancy; I do suck at reviews. (This being said, that's a purely personal standard, on an amazon standard, I think I'm doing fairly well.)

Lastly, a word about Modern Library. Their books are definitely classy. I always prefer a hardcover to a paperback, so this edition made my day. The paper quality is a quite a fine one as well and the font is classy too (it has some special "e" in it, with a diagonal bar, but I don't think you'd notice that unless you were told).

Great book. Ideal for any Dorothy Parker fan

Here you have it, all of the wit and charm of Dorothy Parker in one neat compact volume. The poems, many of which I had read before, are brilliant and stunning, having the punch of an O. Henry story in one or two little pages. The short stories, of which I had read exactly none before I picked up this book, are, incredibly, just as good as her verses. Full of the pathos and drama of a wide variety of domestic experience, these prose gems are brimming with smart and realistic dialogue seldom found in any medium. Some of the best tales are simply inner monologues of a woman doing ordinary things like waiting for the man she adores to call her on the phone or dancing with a clog footed bore who keeps kicking her in the shins. These pieces are so well done and so dead on that they would make great audition pieces for budding actresses to impress a casting agent with. Much has been made of Dorothy Parker's unhappiness and self destructive behavior, but despite, or possibly because of, her abject misery, the lady could put pen to paper. Her work, much more than her biography, is what should stand the test of time. If you like this book and simply have to have more, you should also pick up "Not Much Fun: The Lost Poems of Dorothy Parker" compiled by Stuart Silverstein and collecting, many for the first time, the poems that Dottie wasn't that fond of--they are brilliant as well.

This book is quite well done and gives a good representation of Frost's work. It of course in an introduction and the poems chosen hit the nail on the head. The illustrations are great and well fit the poem being addressed. There is a very nice introducion in the form of a simple biography of Frost in the front of the book which is quite useful. The addited comments by the Editor are quite good and thought provoking. I cannot recommened this one high enough.Some of the Poems included are, The Pasture, Rose Pogonias, A Girls Garden, Ghost House, Birches, Mending Wall, The Wood Pile and quite a number of others.

I bought this one for my daughter who was studying Robert Frost in first grade. The illustrations are lovely, and she treasures the book. The only disappointment was that it doesn't contain the poem "Nothing Gold Can Stay" (one of our favorites). From the cover picture, I'd expected it to contain that one.
Still, I'm glad I bought it for her.

I'm a little surprised at the recommended age for this book. Perhaps they are thinking of children reading it for themselves. Parents and teachers enjoy reading these poems to children and talking about their own experiences. The book is a wonderful tool for helping preschoolers learn to love books as they relate the poet's imagery to their own experiences.

I read Poetry for Young People by Robert Frost. While I do not enjoy poetry, I felt this was a good introduction to his work.

"The Cow in Apple Time" gives the cow some personality by telling how she left the boring old pasture in search of something sweet and perhaps it wasn't a good idea because she ends up with an upset stomach and her milk runs dry.

"A Prayer in the Spring" talks about the end of winter and the beginning of spring. It tells about the dreariness of winter coming alive with the colors of spring and the changes that must take place as time changes.

Another of his poems from the book is "Now Close the Windows" is similar to "A Prayer in the Spring" because it's about change, but it's the change from warmer days to the coming winter.

If I had to pick a favorite from this book, it would have to be "The Last Word of a Bluebird" because it personifies the crow and the bluebird. The crow speaks about the bluebird who is flying south for the winter. The bluebird left a message for a young girls and it shows concern for the girl to take care to stay warm and not get sick. He also says he will be returning in the Spring when the weather turns warm again.

This title is another respectable addition to this artful series of books introducing young people (and others) to the work of beloved poets.

The book opens with a short biography of Frost. I enjoyed it immensely - as a writer I was inspired to see that this Pulitzer Prize winner had to actually leave his home in order to write because at first, no one thought his work was high enough quality to publish.

He gave up his farm to write. He first wrote his poetry at night, when the farm was still until finally - he focused on his main love - words.

The poetry is divided by season, with Henri Sorenson's glorious watercolor illustrations providing the perfect counterpoint and setting to the words of Frost.

Savor this book as a beginners guide - and lover's meditation - on the work of Frost.

Asking variations on the basic question of what role place has in the poetry of more than 45 contemporary America poets, Pfefferle elicits a rich and revealing variety of responses. Many of the responses angle into the explicit and implicit influences of the region a particular poet is from, such as Florida, the South in general, or New England. Some poets who have moved to one or more different places reflect on changes in impressions and attachments to place. Nikki Giovanni, Peter Cooley, Mark Strand, and Charles Wright are among the poets whose names will be recognized by many. There's snapshots of some of the poets, or a photo of a local scene. And many of the numerous poets supply a poem illustrating what they have to say about the role of place in their work.

Pfefferle has got it right here, with just the perfect balance between the life-on-the-road business and the careful, thoughtful, and always engaging interviews with terrific, curious, cagey American poets. "Place" is a wonderful addition to the body of writing on and about poetry, makes a marvelous classroom addition, and is great and satisfying reading page-by-page. A tour de force performance by all involved!

One of the poets within these pages recently read at a nearby college (Scott Carins of Columbia, MO), and he talked briefly about the book. I picked it up locally and have used it to guide me to a wealth of poets I'd never heard of: Mark Wunderlich, Denise Duhamel, Richard Shelton, and David St. John. The book contains not just more than 60 interviews but also a travel-log of Pfefferle's trip. It makes for good reading for boomers like me who want to ditch it all and travel the country. Use it as a map to towns and poets.

A friend put this book in my hands as I worked on preparing a talk on the influence of place in my own poetry. I found "Poets on Place" so invaluable that I typed many pages of detailed notes to ruminate on.

It's an attractive work replete with compementary elements to the main dish of the interviews. Here we have an on-going mystery story: what will Pfefferle and his wife Beth make of thier lives after life on the road? What is life on the road like? There's enough of this to give spice to a full meal of photos, impressionistic portraits of the poets and their surroundings to give a context to the interviews, and the wonderful poems to show the fruits of place and the source of the discussion.

The foreword by David St. John is a treasure of wisdom;I draw many insights from it.

--Janet Grace Riehl, author Sightlines: A Poet's Diary

I don't usually write reviews, but I was so taken by W.T. Pfefferle's Poets on Place that I felt compelled to praise it here. It provides a portrait of American poetry at the beginning of the 21st century that should be interesting and useful to both poets and scholars alike, and also a fascinating and beautifully understated story of a quest to find something of life beyond the ordinary, something beyond the cliches and stereotypes we often use to define ourselves. Much of the beauty of the book is due to Pfefferle's skill as a writer, and his own deep understanding of poetry makes the interviews read like intelligent conversations between equals. A great book.

The finest book of poems I have ever read. What more can I say? Beautifully translated.

This is a whimsical book - as much for adults as for children - great to read aloud to children - and wonderfully illustrated.

This book is funny and heart breaking. It captures something in nature that most of us never take the time to notice. Do creatures comune with God? Why not? Who are we humans to think that only we can speak to our Maker. Even if you are not an "animal lover" this book has something for you.

I found this in a used book store's remainder bin, and I was so touched that I nearly cried on the bus.

Bernos de Gasztold, who lives in a French abbey, has written some very simple prayers by animals. Rumer Godden is an inpired translator.

PRAYER OF THE (ROOSTER) Do not forget, Lord, it is I who make the sun rise. I am Your servant but, with the dignity of my calling, I need some glitter and ostentation. Noblesse oblige... All the same, I am Your servant, only...do not forget, Lord, I make the sun rise. Amen.

PRAYER OF THE CAT Lord, I am the cat. It is not, exactly, that I have something to ask of You! No -- I ask nothing of anyone -- but, if You have by some chance, in some celestial barn, a little white mouse, or a saucer of milk, I know someone who would relish them. Wouldn't You like someday to put a curse on the whole race of dogs? If so I should say Amen.

THE PRAYER OF THE MOUSE I am so little and grey, dear God, how can You keep me in mind? Always spied upon, always chased. Nobody ever gives me anything, and I nibble meagrely at life. Why do they reproach me with being a mouse? Who made me but You? I only ask to stay hidden. Give me my hunger's pittance safe from the claws of that devil with green eyes. Amen

THE PRAYER OF THE OLD HORSE See, Lord, My coat hangs in tatters, like homespun, old, threadbare. All that I had of zest, all my strength, I have given in hard work and kept nothing back for myself. Now my poor head swings to offer up all the loneliness of my heart. Dear God, stiff on my thickened legs I stand here before You: Your uprofitable servant. Oh! of Your goodness, give me a gentle death. Amen.

PRAYERS FROM THE ARK was written and published first, and the poems are in the form of prayers. THE CREATURES' CHOIR was written quite a few years later and these last poems are more like letters to God, where the animals refer to their daily problems. The author did not write sentimental verse. The poems of the animals seem to radiate with truth.

I was first introduced to PRAYERS FROM THE ARK in 1977 by my sister, Susan who lent me her book. Since that time, I've purchased two copies myself, and have given several as gifts. The original book was written in French by Carmen Bernos De Gasztold, and published in 1947. The famous author, Rumer Godden discovered the work and was so impressed with the poems that she translated them into English.

There are over fifty beautiful poems in this book where each animal speaks to God in his or her own voice revealing their individual traits and personalities.

The Dove--"The Ark waits, Lord; it has endured. Let me carry it a sprig of hope and joy."

The Dog--"No one but You and I understands what faithfulness is."

The Ladybird-- "Thank You for having made me so that no one is afraid of me."

This is a charming book for an adult to read and a wonderful way for a child to learn that every creatures' life has dignity and purpose.