Giving It Away
Synopsis:
176 page collection of Memmott's poetry including some earlier work much revised. The collection revolves around two never-before published long poems with Western theme, "Judging the Distance," and "Where the Yellow Brick Road Turns West."
"Rich in multiple personae - Dreamer, Warrior, Traveler, Gardener, Lover, Son, Witness, Poet, Giving It Away is mature, sophisticated, visionary work. These poems explore what we all want to know: How does the dream of life influence all of our experience? They speak from the center of the world while all the stars wheel above. There is harmony and wisdom imbedded here. And readers everywhere can savor the fruits of Memmott's located quest for the comedy, romance, tragedy, and irony of inner and outer life." - George Venn, author of Marking the Magic Circle
"David Memmott's sense of place extends from his piece of ground in northeastern Oregon to the space-time continuum of the universe itself. By turns prophetic, polemical, sensual, and humorous, these poems speak in stalwart witness to the outer and inner landscapes that he calls home." - John Daniel, author of The Far Corner: Northwestern Views on Land, Life and Literature
Giving It Away is infused with the generous and expansive spirit its title evokes. The center of the book is a powerful narrative poem, "Where the Yellow Brick Road Turns West." From that center he unfolds the harsh but saving rituals of survival in the rural west: paying homage to his mother who escaped an abusive husband and took him to a new life, celebrating stacked firewood and the song of wintering over birds, responding to the works of other writers, confronting a "flatline stretch of lonesome highway," and suffering the bite of winter which nevertheless brings with it "snow slumping away/ under the steady Chinook/ of your welcome touch." - Barbara Drake, author of Bees in Wet Weather and Writing Poetry
"David Memmott's fifth book of poetry is an engaging celebration of life in Eastern Oregon..and the many strong poems resonate with a lyric vitality." -- Peter Sears, author of The Brink
Book Excerpt:
For a sample of poems from Giving It Away, visit the Wordcraft of Oregon website. http://www.wordcraftoforegon.com
Author Comment:
GIVING IT AWAY includes original digital art based on ink drawings by the poet.
Topics/Categories:
Fantastic Poetry, Northwest Poetry, Sense of Place, Speculative Poetry, Western Poetry
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Original Publish Date:
March 1, 2009
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