Spread the Poems: A Giveaway

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED
I'm joining the group of poet-bloggers over at Book of Kells who are giving away free books of poems to celebrate National Poetry Month in April. To have a chance at winning one or more books of good poems, just comment on this post before April 30 letting me know you want 'in' (or - for those of you who don't want to comment in a public forum, feel free to send me an e-mail to say you want 'in'). Regardless of how you throw your hat in the ring, make sure I have a way to contact you in case you are the lucky winner of the books I'm giving away, which are:

1. (this will surprise no one who has been reading this blog lately) Selected Poems by Denise Levertov, who I know doesn't really need any more fame than she earned for herself during her lifetime, but who wrote stunning poems and is an important poetry Foremother. Jacket text:

"... I have read her poems for their subtle music, for their imagination, for their author's dignity and integrity and grace; and most of all, for the indomitable and humble spirit that hungers there." - Sam Hammill, The American Poetry Review

And one of my favorites:

To Speak

To speak of sorrow
works upon it
            moves it from its
crouched place barring
the way to and from the soul's hall --

out in the light it
shows clear, whether
shrunken or known as
a giant wrath--
           discrete
at least, where before

its great shadow joined
the walls and roof and seemed
to uphold the hall like a beam.

2. A suite of three books from The Laurel Poetry Collective. The Laurels are a group of local poets and artists, some of whom have reached regional and even national audiences, who joined together in 2002 to create "beautiful, affordable books chapbooks and broadsides" (I quote from their website). For the last five years, I've had the pleasure of studying with Tom Ruud, a member of the Laurels, in his Monday night poetry group. Tom's book, Unable For the World to Sleep, along with two volumes yet to be chosen (depending on what I can get my hands on) will comprise the suite of books for the giveaway. Here's what other poets have said about Tom's work:

"This is a poet who reveres language, and loves our beautiful, broken world." - Deborah Keenan, author of Willow Room, Green Door

"It seems impossible for Tom Ruud to write a line of poetry that doesn't sing with intelligence." - Jim Moore, author of Lightning At Dinner

Here are some of Tom's singing lines:

Who Knew
for Sylvia

I'm sure the park bench knew,
feeling our heat
on cool evening planks;
and the darkening bushes, too,

I'm sure they knew,
joining their hands in their secret way,
feeling quite protective, in fact,
now they had a job to do;

and the grass knew everything,
as the wise dusk crept in
to cup the flame
without a word.


On May 1, I will randomly choose two entries and, shortly after, will send the books to the lucky winners. Full disclosure: Winners may receive a used copy of the book(s) above, but in that case, the book will be very gently used. Chances are, all books will be new, but I haven't done the shopping yet.

Spread the word to anyone you know who might enjoy reading some new (or old favorite) poems this spring. April is poetry month, and this is my little effort to spread some poems around. Good luck and thanks for playing. (And for a longer list of poetry book giveaways that you can enter, visit Book of Kells; the list is in the left-hand margin).