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Book of the Week: Walking with the River

boldman_walkingwiththerivercover

Bob Boldman’s short book from 1980 (High/Coo Press) is a classic of the genre, beginning with the title poem through its heartfelt finale, and including his inimitable shapings of poems laden with quiet rapture.

You can read the entire book in the THF Digital Library.

Do you have a chapbook published 2009 or earlier you would like featured as a Book of the Week? Contact us for details.

Haiku featured in the Book of the Week Archive are selected by Jim Kacian, following a concept first explored by Tom Clausen, and are used with permission.



walking with the river the water does my thinking
drinking the sky I’m emptied
the wind is round round the oak
the wind enters between our voices
the priest his shadow caught on a nail .
in the temple a heartbeat

This Post Has 5 Comments

  1. Two of my favorites from the Bob Boldman book:

    walking with the river
    the water does my thinking

    ~ Bob Boldman

    Very nice, classic.

    the priest
    his shadow caught
    on a nail .

    ~ Bob Bowman

    If read a certain way, this haiku is ” shadowy” indeed.

  2. What an astonishing book – the deceptive simplicity and accumulative effect of each poem feels like a lesson in both writing craft and humility. I’ll read this again and again, I know.

  3. Wonderful lines of imagery! I love this one andd it reminds me why I got into haiku in the first place….

    the priest
    his shadow caught
    on a nail .

    Bob Boldman

  4. Thank you for sharing Bob Boldman’s book here and those wonderful lines! So much I would like to read!

  5. This is a wonderful book, by Bob Boldman – new for me, though I am familiar with HIGH COO Press – and the current work of Randy & Shirley Brooks as Editors of MAYFLY (Brooks Books).

    Because over the years I’ve seen drought here, and now all the fields of tiny corn plants growing again, may I add:

    hymns
    in the ears
    of corn

    by Bob Boldman

    Thank you

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