Blessings from an Unseen World
|
Endorsements |
“It is rare to discover a work of such exquisite imagery, both in its poems and its photographs. Nothing escapes this poet’s eye: Day is a perfumed meadow with ‘violet starbursts,’ early light as ‘morning prayer,’ even the ‘speak of crickets and worm songs.’ Night reveals ‘stars in the basket of sky’ and the moon transformed into a ‘ewe’s horn.’ One can only dream of becoming lost in Dr. Aronoff’s lush landscape of meditation, healing, and, ultimately, grace.” Andrea L. Watson, Braided Lives: A Collaboration Between Artists & Poets
“The real blessing is Aronoff’s synthesis of exquisite photographs with the simple yet meaningful imagery of nature, rain, sky, vegetation, ocean—all the same subjects that make Merwin’s poetry so profound. But I wouldn’t expect anything less from someone who sees certainty in a tide pool, an empty bowl as an open door. Prepare to discover new worlds! This is her best volume yet—stunning!” Scott Wiggerman, author of Vegetables and other Relationships and editor of the Texas Poetry Calendar
“Carol Aronoff views the world through a gentle poetic lens that includes all people, all cultures, all beliefs. In her newest book, Blessings from an Unseen World, we find her lens has become literal, visual, photographic. Her photography reminds us that landscape is an integral part of language. We are given entrance to a world of detail: two rocks side-by-side, a dilapidated building folded into itself, a trail of exquisite doors. Aronoff moves from one medium to the other with ease, ‘unveiling what once was hidden,’ allowing her readers to follow both her seen and unseen worlds.” Colette Jonopulos, editor, Tiger’s Eye Press/Altered Crow Press
“Blessings from an Unseen World is a memorable conversation between Aronoff’s photographs and poems. In imagery that reaches beyond physical sight, she celebrates the healing powers of the natural world.” Laurie Kutchins, author of The Night Path and Slope of the Child Everlasting
|
Table of Contents |
Foreword
GRACE
A Farmer’s Field
Awakening
Rain
Meadowsweet
Sunburn
Evening Meditation
Before the New Moon
Full Moon Follies
Bell Ringing in Emptiness
Liberation
Morning Prayer
Grace
The Suchness of Things
The Lemon Tree
Stillness
Circling
At the Temple
Looking Through the Window
On this Day of Rain
Daylilies
Alchemy
In the Shadows
Wide Awake
Desiderata
Sloth
A PLACE TO LAND
The Guest
Beached
Cloud Cover
Winter Flowering
Resolutions Under the Shower Tree
Sekina’s Vision
Shooting for the Sky
Blooming
Skeletal Thoughts
Haven
A Place to Land
Desire
First Impressions
Remembering
Redemption
Nothing Solid
Vigil
Traveling Back to Egypt
Without Borders
A Pocketful
In Times of Uncertainty
Reflections
Red Canyon
Surrender
COMING HOME
Sun
What Matters
The Glory of Dying Flowers
Cloud Quartet
There is Always Something
Out of Time
Palm Reading
Lunation
Sky Mother
In the Still of Night
Fog
Transition
Naturally
Falling Leaves
Now
Woodwork
A New Slant on Life
Vows
Speak Easy
Flight
Coming Home
Garden Meditation
|
Excerpt |
Awakening
He sat alone, same place every morning, reading
books on impermanence. His chair tilted right
though he never noticed the sun slow dancing
through his heart.
Had he lingered a moment longer, basked
in the confidence of his own nature or complimented
the waitress, he might have finished his coffee,
day–old pastry and felt full.
Instead he left the table, crickets in his stomach,
hungering for the taste of nectar,
an unfillable hole in the abyss
of his dreams.
Night or day, stars in the basket of sky winked
out without his knowing, whole continents shifted
and still he waited; no markers lit his longing
in neon or shouted out their warning:
There is this day, this moment out of all others–
this blue universe drenched in poetry, the blood
of saints–in which to love, to find what’s close
as skin and easy,
right here–always–right here.
Blue Dolphin Publishing, 2013