Reviews

I had a resolution to read an entire book of poetry this year, and this was the easy choice! I loved Clint Smith's "How the Word is Passed," and heard him interviewed about this book on the radio. It has beautiful poems about the joy/exhaustion of early parenthood in tension with a gloomy forecast for the earth we are leaving our children to inherit. Glad I read it, but learned that a whole book of poetry is overwhelming (I feel like I didn't appreciate each poem enough), and will have to figure out a better approach!

tigerlillymelody's review

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5.0

Simultaneously validates my fear and dissatisfaction with the world while presenting a world full of things worth living for.

lingfish7's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing sad medium-paced

5.0

📖This was my first Clint Smith book. Wow. What a talented writer! This poetry book tugged at every heart string. 💕 I’m in awe at Clint’s ability to observe every day life and write such poignant, meditative, contemplative poems. I aspire to be as mesmerizing of a poet as Clint someday.

The theme of this collection mostly centers around the life shifting event of Clint becoming a parent. He writes extensively about how much he adores his two children and how much more anxiety he has now that they are in the world. Some poems are about the simple things his kids do that make him smile, others are about school shootings and George Floyd. He seamlessly interweaves joy and sadness, the miracle of life and the fear of death. The poems are so diverse and yet so cohesive.

I cannot wait to read more Clint Smith and for others to experience the beauty of his writing. ✨

Here is one of my favorite verses in an earlier poem in the book:

“little one

you are my daily reminder

that you do not go to the garden to watch

the flowers grow

you go to give thanks

for what has already bloomed.” 🌷