New Poems, this author's third and most recent work, starts by taking you along on a month full of the daily activities, adventures, difficulties, and observations arising directly from hard country living ("December"), one poem for each day, just for openers. "Ravens," the next series of sixteen poems, takes you deeply into a metaphysical world of fascinating mythical and religious associations and meanings of ravens in cultural history and scripture around the world. This is followed by "The Planets," a beautiful little collection of seven poems, with each planet addressed individually and sensitively through its classical themes.That much would normally more than fill other contemporary books of poetry, but this author has much more here. Although the author was thirteen years old when Theodore Roethke passed away, "In Respect of Theodore Roethke" presents nine poems which, on their own, probe some of the dark and difficult places of existence where Roethke struggled. Finally, "Various" gives us ten poems that are not aligned topically and that give us the poet's informality and humor. Throughout all the reader will encounter here, they will find a mastery of sound and structure, strength and grace, sending, ultimately, a plea of love into the world.
