With calm elegance and precise language, Rivers in My Veins is a work of lyric courage celebrating the connection we all share to the earth. Kara Briggs' poems sing her people, Sauk-Suiattle and Yakama, onto the pages. Land we live on land, she writes, calling us to embrace our kinship with the earth. As a career journalist, Briggs uses documentary poetry to expose the false settler-colonial narratives while innovating rhythms from the social dances of her tribes in poems that take the reader to the dance circle. She received the 2024 James Welch Prize for Indigenous Poetry for Acknowledgement Two, a poem in this collection about her uncle who fought for fishing rights. Her fierce love of lands, waters, and stories of her peoples are carried in familiar poetic forms-sonnet, pantoum, and haiku-as vehicles to carry the readers on a journey through our shared world of literary - and deeply alive - landscapes.

In groundbreaking forms of her ancestors and for future generations, Briggs introduces profiles of a Yakama treaty fisherman, a great-great-grandmother basket maker, and a Sauk-Suiattle leader calling for accountability, sharing the humanity and modernity of Native peoples. She uses sonnets, pantoums, and haiku as familiar vehicles for readers as she carries them into unfamiliar history and perspectives. She questions our relationship with words about Indigenous peoples by exploring their etymologies. She engages literary ancestors, poets Carolyn Kizer and Janice Gould, re-examining their poetics in her own. Kara Briggs works on environmental issues with tribes on the West Coast and has a background in journalism and higher education. She is a former president of the Native American Journalists Association. She graduated in 2024 with a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from the Institute of American Indian Arts. This is her first poetry collection and her first publication with St. Julian Press.

In Mermaids of Albuquerque, Cohen leaps off a trope of geological time, a past sea in the basin of Albuquerque, and finds there a fresh trough of poetry. These poems come to us flush with magic, with an imagined past, and a love for the city of her origin.

Reading Mermaids of Albuquerque feels like stumbling upon a Chachalaca three hundred miles north of its usual range-a magical and unexpected treat. Cohen's world, though familiar, is seen through a lens that makes everything just a little different, odder, brighter, bolder, and further afield, allowing us to see the world with marveling eyes.

In Mermaids of Albuquerque, Cohen's poetry celebrates the ordinary, a testament to her joy in the natural and human landscapes of New Mexico. Her joyful and richly grounded poems capture the essence of birds, flowers, and the 'Land of Enchantment, ' turning them into 'diamonds of shiny, invincible sand.'

Through nuanced figurative turns, Cohen transforms her connection to the natural world into profound observations about the complexity of human nature. Morning glories become beautiful love letters, leading the poet to meditate on loss and resilience, highlighting how nature continues its beauty despite human violence. Yet, her poetry's subtext of joy transcends any hint of bleakness. In every poem, we sense Cohen's genuine joy for nature and wildlife-the Chachalaca's raucous song, dancing honey bees, the Albuquerque desert, and mourning doves. These elements congregate in her pages to remind us that the world is just dying to do better than yesterday.

Elizabeth Cohen's Mermaids of Albuquerque invites you to build an altar to all things ending and beginning again. Read these poems and experience a journey where joy and profound observation intertwine beautifully.

Slow Walk Home by Suzanne Nussey

Slow Walk Home, by Suzanne Nussey is a poignant collection of poetry that masterfully interlaces the threads of the sacred with the fabric of the mundane, creating a rich tapestry of reflective thought and universal appeal. Nussey's poems transcend mere reminiscence, elevating everyday familial and personal memories to engage with themes of God, Time, and the unseen, transforming small, intimate moments into profound reflections on eternity.

The collection is lauded for its seamless transition from the domestic to the divine, embodying a modern yet timeless poetic voice that echoes ancient contemplative traditions. Nussey's skill in this weaving is particularly notable for its lack of pretension. It relies on natural insights rather than complex academic constructs, making it accessible to all readers.

Critics praise Nussey for her use of unique and unexpected metaphors and a tone that confronts the raw realities of life-death, illness, and loss, alongside motherhood, love, faith, and redemption. Through her poems, Nussey invites us into a private world. One that is deeply personal yet universally relatable, illuminated by her clear and evocative language.

The book also reflects on the social and historical contexts that shape personal and collective memory, examining the promises and limitations of mid-century societal norms against today's more enlightened perspectives. The juxtaposition of past and present enriches the collection, providing a window into the evolving dynamics of society and personal identity.

Described as a spiritual autobiography, Slow Walk Home is brave and contemplative. It utilizes poetry to explore and question the spiritual certitudes of its narrator. The collection offers readers a space for meditation and reflection, encouraging a deeper engagement with the text as a form of prayer and discovery.

Sarah Carey's debut poetry collection, The Grief Committee Minutes, is a lyrical exploration of loss, memory, and environmental and human connections. This thoughtfully curated volume takes readers through the landscapes of grief, offering insights into how we process pain, honor lost people and places, and find strength to move forward.

At the heart of Carey's work is a deep engagement with the natural world, particularly the flora and fauna of northern Florida, where she grew up. Birds feature prominently, serving as metaphors for freedom, fragility, and life's ephemeral nature. These avian images provide a through-line that connects the various themes of the book, from personal loss to broader societal concerns, mirroring the speaker's poetic record.

Moving seamlessly between past and present, the poems in this collection often begin with contemporary observations before spiraling into memory. This creates a rich tapestry of experience, highlighting how our past informs our present and exploring grief's long-reaching effects on our perceptions and interactions.

With a voice that speaks directly to the human experience, Carey's poems mirror our own lives. Whether delving into the complexities of parent-child relationships, the isolating effects of the pandemic, or the subtle shifts of aging, her work resonates universally, inviting readers to find solace in the recognition of their own experiences within her carefully chosen words.

The poems in this collection tackle complex subjects like war, environmental degradation, and cultural memory loss with sensitivity and insight. The Grief Committee Minutes is an intimate portrait of individual sorrow and a broader meditation on collective grief, including the shared experience of watching familiar landscapes change.

While the poems in this collection never shy away from the raw pain of grief, they also point us toward the transformative potential of loss. They suggest that even in the face of profound sorrow, we can deepen our empathy, strengthen our connections, and heighten our appreciation for life's fleeting joys, offering a glimmer of hope in the darkest of times.

The Grief Committee Minutes is not just a collection of poems, but a carefully structured journey through the stages of grief, from the initial shock to the eventual healing and reintegration. Its thoughtful arrangement creates a sense of progression, while individual poems circle back to recurring themes and images, much like the cyclical nature of memory and loss, guiding the reader through a deeply engaging and introspective experience.

Prosser Stirling's debut poetry collection, Somewhere, in Front of My Name, arrives like a fresh gust in the often staid corridors of contemporary poetry. Eschewing the prosaic in favor of a vibrant tapestry of word painting, sound, and rhythm, Stirling offers a striking array of poetic forms. Whether anchored in a specific locale or floating through abstract metaphor, each piece pulses with a singular, immediate voice. The craftsmanship is impeccable, with magical orchestration and imagery, compelling readers to linger and revisit. This is poetry as it should be: a masterful dance of language.

Stirling's knack for selecting the precise word or phrase is uncanny. He possesses an eye and an ear for the extraordinary, reminiscent of a seasoned riddle maker. His poems repurpose nouns into verbs, breathing new life into the language. Alliteration is deftly employed like a chef adding just the right amount of spice to elevate a dish. Echoing Billy Collins' wisdom, Stirling knows that a poem concludes when the reader feels it should, ensuring each piece ends where the reader's emotions dictate.

First-time readers of Stirling's work should arm themselves with a dictionary and a steaming cup of ginger tea. This collection promises not only enjoyment but also an intellectual challenge.

Somewhere, in Front of My Name, charts a course down the passionate river of existence with serene yet wide-open eyes. It guides readers through shifting currents, delving into profound depths. Stirling's words evoke vivid imagery: Slackened oars break the sound / as my skiff drifts in the silver-plated wake; / between green growing on green, / ghosted cypress stumps, / stone solemn, / absorb the boat wash / to silence my passage. The poet is on an eternal quest for the elusive - the cusp of connection, a memory, an understanding. Something cherished, something lost, something not yet imagined. I... take shelter under wattled withes, / and bird my way through fell acres to seek you, / still not knowing / your face / or name.

Stirling's keen observational skills and auditory sensitivity are evident in his compact, sound-rich lines, brimming with implication. Each poem is a puzzle, inviting readers to pause and let fresh insights emerge. His work marvels at the grand and the minute, the macro and the micro. The cosmic pull between all entities - human to human, human to nature, human to past - is palpable. Something big watches us / with animacy of an older world. / Is it a god being born / or two souls at eclipse, / about to detonate / from nearness?

In Fox Dreams, Laura Smyth invites readers on a poetic journey that sharpens perception and deepens understanding of both the natural world and human experience. With precise and lyrical language, Smyth confronts deeply human themes of loss, grief, aging, and the complexities of parenthood against the untamed backdrop of nature. She artfully balances what is often unseen or ignored-homelessness, dementia, the forgotten and forsaken-against the luminous details that make existence vibrant and immediate.

These poems remind us of the small, sentient details of existence and the presence of both nature and a higher power. They encourage a nuanced exploration of the boundaries we navigate and the connections we seek. Through her work, readers see with sharpened vision and feel with heightened awareness, finding solace and revelation in the quiet spaces between words. This collection, rich with small bouquets of cold and light and shadow, is a testament to the profound and enduring relationship between the human soul and the natural world.

Fox Dreams serves as a clear lens through which to view our imperfect humanity, urging us to pause, reflect, and recognize both the limitations and the untapped possibilities within our lives.

Embark on a Lyrical Pilgrimage with Famine Chair

Imagine a world where poetry transcends words, weaving tapestries of meaning that resonate within the very core of your being. Famine Chair by Richard Jarrette beckons you on such a journey, a breathtaking exploration where ancient wisdom meets the whispers of your soul.

Prepare to be captivated by exquisite verses that unveil the hidden depths of existence. Immerse yourself in the majesty of nature, contemplate the mysteries of human experience, and feel the brush of the divine against your spirit.

Famine Chair is not merely a collection of poems; it's a portal to a timeless conversation. Let the profound insights of classical Chinese, Buddhist, and Taoist traditions wash over you, igniting moments of sudden clarity and profound reflection.

This evocative collection is a companion for the curious mind and the yearning heart. It's a solace in a chaotic world, a wellspring of inspiration for those seeking transformation. Open its pages and discover the boundless depths of poetic wisdom waiting to be unearthed.

Romance: The Only Life by poet Kevin McGrath, published by Saint Julian Press, unfolds like a whispered conversation between the poet and the ineffable. The collection takes a contemplative approach to the notion of romance-not merely as a sentiment reserved for lovers, but as an elemental force, shaping the way we move through the world. The book's title suggests that romance, in all its sprawling meanings, might just be the central current that makes life worth living.

Divided into a series of compact, numbered poems, Romance resists the temptation to over-explain or embellish. The poems, often spare in language, invite the reader to pause, to reflect, and to find resonance in what is unsaid. There's a quiet power in this restraint, as the collection meanders through themes of connection, spirituality, and the sensuality of existence, offering glimpses rather than declarations. Each poem, pared down to its essential elements, feels like a small meditation-on a moment, a relationship, a thought.

This is not a book of love poems, at least not in the conventional sense. The romance here is larger, encompassing our relationship with nature, with the divine, with the self. It's the romance of being alive, of noticing, of breathing into the spaces where life unfolds unexpectedly. These poems suggest that romance is not something we find; it is something we cultivate, an ethos to carry through the day.

And yet, there is intimacy here. The poet speaks directly, as if leaning in, revealing these truths with a delicate touch. There is no grandiosity, no sweeping declarations, just the simple act of observing the world with an open heart. It's an invitation to the reader: to slow down, to listen more closely, to rediscover the beauty in the ordinary.

For readers accustomed to poetry that drips with overt emotion or elaborate form, Romance: The Only Life may feel like a reprieve. Its understated style allows for a deeper engagement with the subject matter, as though each poem is merely a doorway to something much larger-a feeling, a memory, a revelation. It is a book that doesn't ask to be understood so much as experienced.

In the end, Romance offers its readers a gift: a chance to find the extraordinary in the everyday, to see romance as a way of being rather than an outcome to chase. It is a quiet, beautiful collection that speaks to those who understand that the most profound connections often arise from the simplest moments.

Fred (Kurzform von Alfred) vermag es, mit seinen Gedichten die Menschen tief im Herzen zu berühren, die unendliche Schönheit des Lebens und der Natur in seiner wunderbaren Sprache auszudrücken und, in der Tradition der gro en Mystiker, beim Lesen immer wieder den Raum in die Transzendenz zu eröffnen. Seine Gedichte sind voll von Hinweisen, das Transzendente im Sinnlichen und das Sinnliche im Transzendenten zu entdecken. Damit steht er für mich in einer Reihe mit vorangegangenen Mystikern wie Meister Eckhard, Johannes Tauler, Johannes vom Kreuz und Teresa von Avila.

Vielmehr ist das Königreich ausgebreitet über die Erde, doch die Menschen sehen es nicht. - hei t es im Evangelium nach Thomas (Logion 113 /4). Das Besondere an Freds Arbeit als Mystiker und Autor ist, dass uns das Lesen seiner Werke, das Königreich auf Erden sichtbar werden lässt!

Mit Fortdauer meiner Beschäftigung mit Freds umfangreichem Werk wuchs in mir der Wunsch, diesen bisher nur im englischen Original publizierten Schatz eines gro en Mystikers der Gegenwart auch in deutscher Sprache verfügbar zu machen. Zu meiner gro en Freude hat Fred diesem Buchprojekt sofort zugestimmt.

Die Gedichte und Texte des vorliegenden Buches sind aus Freds Gesamtwerk entnommen und wurden von mir in fünf Kapitel gegliedert, wobei jedes einen eigenen Zugang zur mystischen Erfahrung repräsentiert. Man kann das Buch von Anfang bis Ende als Landkarte der mystischen Erfahrung lesen, oder es einfach auf einer beliebigen Seite aufschlagen und sich vom jeweiligen Gedicht oder Text inspirieren lassen, oder das jeweilige Gedicht zur Meditation und Kontemplation verwenden.

Die Übersetzung von Freds Gedichten aus dem US - Englischen ins Deutsche brachte einige Herausforderungen mit sich. Die spirituell mystischen Inhalte, Freds Liebe zu Wortspielen, die oftmals stark sprachspezifisch für das amerikanische Englisch sind, aber auch die Vorliebe des Autors, Analogien zu nordamerikanischen botanischen Details zu verwenden, erforderten eine tiefe Auseinandersetzung mit der Sprache und den Inhalten.

Mein Hauptaugenmerk beim Übersetzen lag im Bemühen, die spezielle Qualität von Freds Gedichten, welche bei der Leserin und beim Leser eine Resonanz mit der mystischen Erfahrung ermöglichen, auch in der deutschen Fassung zu erhalten. Natürlich galt es auch auf die ursprüngliche Schönheit, Ausdruckskraft und den Rhythmus der Gedichte zu achten.

Es gab mehrere Gründe, das Buch bilingual herauszugeben. Zum einen, um dem Leser die Gelegenheit zu geben, auch die dem englischen Original innewohnende Schönheit der Gedichte zu erfahren. Zum anderen war die Zweisprachigkeit als Ausdruck des Lebens in einer pluralistischen Welt ein Anliegen des Verlags Saint Julian Press.

Fine Art Photography edition, with premium high-resolution glossy photos

A Pilgrimage of Churches arises from the landscape of the Great Plains, the people who live there, who work the land, and who worship together in community on the Sabbath Day. They hold a heritage of faith and devotion that is an American story. It is our story. The desire here is to tell it with a Quaker simplicity and sacramental sincerity as a part of an American family's legacy and attentiveness. It is a story of remembrance too. In this effort, the work draws from a rich literary tradition that is uniquely American, one that emulates an elder artistic and liturgical language, which uncovers and animates the pastoral beauty on the earth and a people's dedication to their belief. As a vision, the hope is to reveal its inhabitants and their history as persons of faith, celebrating an intimate connection with the land that flourishes still, helping to feed a 21st century world.