Roots and Flowers : Poets Write about Their Families

by Rosenberg, Liz

• ISBN13: 9780805064339
• ISBN10: 0805064338
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2001-04-01
• Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)

Summary

Roots and Flowers reveals heartfelt truths about poets and their families. "How Quickly, How EarlyThe fourth grader, his puffy down jacketblood-red as any cardinal,flies lightly up the path to school, skiddingwhen he gets to the open door. Then, looking strangely like his father heading in to work,he stops; shoves back his hood,braces his shouldersfor the day, and trudges forward. How quickly, how early such lessons begin. " --Liz Rosenberg This companion toThe Invisible Ladder, Liz Rosenberg's award-winning poetry anthology that deals with poets and their childhoods, explores the bonds between poets and their families. Framed by the poets' photos and statements about their families, here is an exploration of giving birth, raising a child, seeing a parent age and pass away. Poets such as Stanley Kunitz, Robert Bly, Naomi Shihab Nye, and Linda Pastan offer readers not only poems of startling beauty, but also a unique entry into the sources of their art. Roots and Flowersis the perfect gift for a family that shares poetry, for fans of the many poets in this book, and for young writers whose own emotional life centers on their families. Liz Rosenberg's deep connection with the poetry community allowed her to get the personal and revealing contributions from the authors in this book. And the book is permeated with intimacy and celebration.

Author Biography

Liz Rosenberg is an award-winning anthologist, a published poet, a professor of children's literature and a critic whose reviews frequently appear in The New York Times and The Boston Globe. Her previous poetry anthologies include Light-Gathering Poems, The Invisible Ladder, and Earth-Shattering Poems. She lives with her family in Binghamton, New York.

Table of Contents

Introduction	3	(9)
Statement	9	(4)
Marvin Bell
The Last Thing I Say	10	(1)
from To an Adolescent Weeping Willow	11	(2)
Statement	13	(4)
Robert Bly
For My Son Noah, Ten Years Old	15	(2)
Statement	17	(4)
David Bosnick
Home from Work	18	(3)
Statement	21	(4)
Michael Burkard
Entire Dilemma	22	(3)
Statement	25	(10)
David Chin
My Father's Note	26	(1)
The China Cupboard and the Coal Furnace	27	(8)
Statement	35	(4)
Victoria Clausi
A Letter to Mother	36	(3)
Statement	39	(4)
Stephen Dobyns
No Map	41	(2)
Statement	43	(10)
Maria Mazziotti Gillan
Arturo	45	(2)
Letter to My Mother: Past Due	47	(2)
My Son Tells Me Not to Wear My Poet's Clothes	49	(1)
Heritage	50	(3)
Statement	53	(6)
Eamon Grennan
Taking My Son to School	55	(4)
Statement	59	(4)
Donald Hall
My Son, My Executioner	60	(3)
Statement	63	(4)
Marie Howe
The Attic	64	(3)
Statement	67	(4)
Adrienne E. Ianniello
Memory	68	(3)
Statement	71	(10)
Milton Kessler
Ballad for Dave	73	(1)
Plain Poplar	74	(4)
Secret Love	78	(3)
Statement	81	(4)
Maxine Kumin
For My Great-Grandfather: A Message Long Overdue	82	(3)
Statement	85	(14)
Stanley Kunitz
Journal for My Daughter	88	(7)
My Mother's Pears	95	(4)
Statement	99	(4)
Greg Kuzma
My Son Skating on Doane's Lake	101	(2)
Statement	103	(4)
Rich Landers
Genesis	104	(3)
Statement	107	(4)
Shara McCallum
Wolves	108	(3)
Statement	111	(6)
Margaret K. Menges
For Angela	112	(1)
The Winter of Stories	113	(4)
Statement	117	(6)
Jerry Mirskin
My Father	118	(1)
Bronx Park East	119	(4)
Statement	123	(6)
Greg Moglia
On That Day	124	(1)
Pietro	125	(4)
Statement	129	(6)
Kyoko Mori
Seeing My Parents in New York	130	(2)
Uncles	132	(3)
Statement	135	(4)
Megeen Mulholland
Our Father's Image	136	(3)
Statement	139	(4)
Howard Nelson
Weariness	140	(1)
In the Class for Giving Birth	141	(2)
Statement	143	(8)
Naomi Shihab Nye
Wedding Cake	145	(2)
How Far Is It to the Land We Left?	147	(1)
Genetics	148	(3)
Statement	151	(6)
Linda Pastan
Notes from the Delivery Room	152	(2)
A Real Story	154	(3)
Statement	157	(6)
Willie Perdomo
Unemployed Mami	159	(4)
Statement	163	(4)
Katha Pollitt
Playground	164	(3)
Statement	167	(4)
Liz Rosenberg
White Slip	168	(1)
How Quickly, How Early	169	(2)
Statement	171	(4)
David St. John
Hush	172	(3)
Statement	175	(4)
Kate Schmitt
Leaving You	176	(3)
Statement	179	(6)
Henry M. Seiden
Monty	180	(2)
Turtle Story	182	(3)
Statement	185	(6)
Jason Shinder
Places He Wasn't	187	(1)
Because One Is Always Leaving	188	(3)
Statement	191	(4)
Gary Soto
Worry at the End of the Month	192	(3)
Statement	195	(4)
Bettye T. Spinner
Her Story	196	(3)
Statement	199	(4)
Gerald Stern
Waving Good-Bye	200	(3)
Statement	203	(4)
Deborah Tall
Touched	204	(3)
Statement	207	(4)
Philip Terman
Instructions on Climbing Your Father's Garage	208	(3)
Statement	211	(10)
Antonio Vallone
Peach Blossom Snow	213	(2)
from Learning to Dance	215	(2)
Camping Out in the Backyard	217	(4)
Statement	221	(4)
Li-Shen Yun
Saturday in Chinatown	222	(3)
Biographical Notes	225	(10)
Suggested Reading and Listening	235	(8)
Index of First Lines	243

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