From the Mountain, from the Valley: New and Collected Poems

by Still, James

• ISBN13: 9780813191324
• ISBN10: 0813191327
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-03-01
• Publisher: Univ Pr of Kentucky

Summary

2002 Appalachian Writers Association Book of the Year James Still first achieved national recognition in the 1930s as a poet. Although he is better known today as a writer of fiction, it is his poetry that many of his essential images, such as the ""mighty river of earth,"" first found expression. Yet much of his poetry remains out of print or difficult to find. From the Mountain, From the Valley collects all of Still's poems, including several never before published, and corrects editorial mistakes that crept into previous collections. The poems are presented in chronological order, allowing the reader to trace the evolution of Still's voice. Throughout, his language is fresh and vigorous and his insight profound. His respect for people and place never sounds sentimental or dated. Ted Olson's introduction recounts Still's early literary career and explores the poetic origins of his acclaimed lyrical prose. Still himself has contributed the illuminating autobiographical essay ""A Man Singing to Himself,"" which will appeal to every lover of his work. James Still, the first poet laureate of Kentucky, recipient of two Guggenheim Fellowships and many other awards and honors, is the author of numerous works, including his masterful novel River of Earth. Ted Olson, associate professor of Appalachian studies and English at East Tennessee State University, is the author of Blue Ridge Folklife and the editor of CrossRoads: A Southern Culture Annual.

Author Biography

James Still, the first poet laureate of Kentucky, recipient of two Guggenheim Fellowships and many other awards and honors, is the author of numerous works Ted Olson, assistant professor of Appalachian studies and English at East Tennessee State University

Table of Contents

Preface	1	(4)
A Man Singing to Himself: An Autobiographical Essay	5	(22)
James Still
The Poems
Dreams	27	(1)
Burned Tree	28	(1)
Fallow Years	29	(1)
The Bright Road	30	(1)
Artifacts	31	(1)
Answer	32	(1)
Let This Hill Rest	33	(1)
Lambs	34	(1)
Swift Were Their Feet	35	(1)
Wilderness	36	(1)
Dulcimer	37	(1)
Horse Swapping	38	(1)
Mountain Fox Hunt	39	(1)
Infare	40	(1)
When the Dulcimers Are Gone	41	(1)
Reckoning	42	(1)
Heritage	43	(1)
Death on the Mountain	44	(1)
Shield of Hills	45	(1)
Uncle Ambrose	46	(1)
Clabe Mott	47	(1)
The Hill-Born	48	(1)
Aftergrass	49	(1)
Child in the Hills	50	(1)
Passenger Pigeons	51	(1)
Farm	52	(1)
Fox Hunt on Defeated Creek	53	(1)
Foal	54	(1)
Post Offices	55	(1)
Earth-Bread	56	(1)
On Troublesome Creek	57	(1)
Interval	58	(1)
Graveyard	59	(1)
Tracks on Stone	60	(1)
Coal Town	61	(1)
Fiddlers' Convention on Troublesome Creek	62	(1)
Journey Beyond the Hills	63	(1)
Rain on the Cumberlands	64	(1)
Dance on Pushback	65	(2)
I Was Born Humble	67	(1)
On Redbird Creek	68	(1)
Pattern for Death	69	(1)
Yesteryear's People	70	(1)
A Hillsman Speaks	71	(1)
Spring	72	(1)
Hounds on the Mountain	73	(1)
Horseback in the Rain	74	(1)
With Hands Like Leaves	75	(1)
River of Earth	76	(1)
White Highways	77	(1)
Court Day	78	(1)
On Double Creek	79	(1)
Night in the Coal Camps	80	(1)
Epitaph for Uncle Ira Combs, Mountain Preacher	81	(1)
Nixie Middleton	82	(1)
Come Down from the Hills	83	(1)
Eyes in the Grass	84	(1)
On Buckhorn Creek	85	(1)
Year of the Pigeons	86	(2)
Where the Mares Have Fed	88	(1)
A Man Singing to Himself	89	(1)
Now Has Day Come	90	(1)
I Shall Go Singing	91	(1)
Leap, Minnows, Leap	92	(1)
Morning: Dead Mare Branch	93	(1)
A Child's Wisdom	94	(1)
Banjo Bill Cornett	95	(1)
Fiddle	96	(1)
Mountain Men Are Free	97	(1)
Hill-Lonely	98	(1)
Death in the Hills	99	(1)
This Man Dying	100	(1)
Granny Frolic	101	(1)
Passing of a County Sheriff	102	(1)
Drought	103	(1)
Apples	104	(1)
The Broken Ibis	105	(1)
Early Whippoorwill	106	(1)
Abandoned House	107	(1)
Wolfpen Creek	108	(1)
Apple Trip	109	(1)
Funnel Spider	110	(1)
The Trees in the Road	111	(1)
Lamp	112	(1)
Man O' War	113	(1)
Lizard	114	(1)
On Being Drafted into the U.S. Army from My Log Home in March 1942	115	(1)
Candidate	116	(1)
Winter Tree	117	(1)
``Welcome, Somewhat, Despite the Disorder''	118	(1)
Of the Wild Man	119	(1)
Day of Flowers	120	(1)
Hunter	121	(1)
Are You Up There, Bad Jack?	122	(1)
Visitor	123	(1)
The Common Crow	124	(1)
After Some Twenty Years Attempting to Describe a Flowering Branch of Redbud	125	(1)
On the Passing of My Brother Alfred	126	(1)
What Have You Heard Lately?	127	(1)
Madly to Learn	128	(1)
High Field	129	(1)
Unemployed Coal Miner	130	(1)
Apples in the Well	131	(1)
Death of a Fox	132	(1)
In My Dreaming	133	(1)
Here in My Bed	134	(1)
Yesterday in Belize	135	(1)
Artist	136	(1)
Of the Faithful	137	(1)
Knife Trader	138	(1)
Truck Driver	139	(1)
Okra King	140	(1)
Could It Be	141	(1)
Of Concern	142	(1)
Dove	143	(1)
Here and Now	144	(1)
Mine Is a Wide Estate	145	(1)
My Aunt Carrie	146	(1)
Mrs. Lloyd, Her Rag Sale	147	(1)
Recollection	148	(1)
At Year's End	149	(1)
Those I Want in Heaven with Me Should There Be Such a Place	150	(1)
My Days	151	(2)
Bibliography	153	(8)
Index of Titles	161	(3)
Index of First Lines	164