"Kooser . . . must be the most accessible and enjoyable major poet in America. His lines are so clear and simple." -Michael Dirda, The Washington Post
"Nothing escapes him; everything is illuminated." -Library Journal
"Will one day rank alongside of Edgar Lee Masters, Robert Frost, and William Carlos Williams." -Minneapolis Tribune
"Kooser's ability to discover the smallest detail and render it remarkable is a rare gift." -The Bloomsbury Review
Four decades of poetry-and a generous selection of new work-make up this extraordinary collection by Pulitzer Prize winner Ted Kooser. Firmly rooted in the landscapes of the Midwest, Kooser's poetry succeeds in finding the emotional resonances within the ordinary. Kooser's language of quiet intensity trains itself on the intricacies of human relationships, as well as the animals and objects that make up our days. As Poetry magazine said of his work, "Kooser documents the dignities, habits, and small griefs of daily life, our hunger for connection, our struggle to find balance."
From "March 2":
Patchy clouds and windy.
All morning
our house has been flashing in and out of shade
like a signal, and far across the waves of grass
a neighbor's house has answered,
offering help.
Ted Kooser is the author of eleven collections of poetry, including Delights & Shadows, which won the Pulitzer Prize. He served as the Poet Laureate of the United States, and is a visiting professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
This selection from five decades of Kooser's work illustrates his intense and intimate vision of everyday American life.
“Will one day rank alongside of Edgar Lee Masters, Robert Frost, and William Carlos Williams.” —Minneapolis Tribune
“There is a sense of quiet amazement at the core of all Kooser's work” —The Washington Post
“Kooser’s ability to discover the smallest detail and render it remarkable is a rare gift." —Bloomsbury Review
"[Kooser] brushes poems over ordinary objects, revealing metaphysical themes that way an investigator dusts for fingerprints. His language is so controlled and convincing that one can't help but feel significant truths behind his lines."—The Philadelphia Inquirer
