In this new collection of 52 poems, we see a master at the height of his powers, one who has allowed the “wildness” of existence to drive out arrogance. He is our witness on the “yearning shore,” reminding us that even when the world feels shrouded in “desperate folly,” we are not lost. He teaches us a way of communion that requires no chanting or spells—only “one simple yes” to the wonders that persist despite the darkness.
Don Hynes is more than a poet of our generation; he is a keeper of the “hidden stone,” the birthplace of beauty. He reminds us that even as the cultural landscape seems to “descend,” we have the “stars in flight” to guide us. He proves, through every carefully chosen word, that we are “children of the eternal,” and that even in the deepest frost of the soul, we are good.
From the deep earth well sunk in the bedrock of origin, I draw my morning draught, rich with the minerals of tree root and starlight. My tongue savors the taste of metal and sweetgrass, binding me fast to the brotherhood of crows who ferry the tang of iron across a
Clouded as gray skies, my thoughts held captive by the city’s grind of noise and glaring light, I turn to the inner chapel, hymnals worn from ancient singing, and find my place of quiet prayer in the silence of forgotten saints. Reading of “Quiet Prayer” with music
As if we understood, the stars sing their ancient melody, while the moon keeps her soft vigil, faithful in love. Our desires gently laid aside, the night unveils her jewels, and we abide in the peace of a starlit Jerusalem. Reading of “Starlit Home” with music by Paul
