In Praise of Lovely Women
June 17th, 2008 bhenricksenOf the better-known poets who contributed to From the Other World: Poems in Memory of James Wright, a collection from Lost Hills Books in which many of America’s greatest pay tribute to one of their own, I hear most often from Gibbons Ruark. In promoting the collection at libraries and bookstores, I’ve more than once chosen to read his contribution to the book, a poem called “With Our Wives in Late October.” Recently I emailed him to say how much people have appreciated this lovely and delicate poem. He responded to tell me that it was a conflation of a number of days spent with Jim and Annie during an autumn when they were neighbors. Here’s how it begins:
“Wandering with weather down the long hillside,
We come to the slender reeds in the water,
All of us who lazed by our own rivers
Summer and autumn.
Looking for redwings or leaves that were falling.
Light that was flying, the red wing of summer,
Never dreaming to be by one sure river
Gathered together.”
Gibbons ends the poem by describing the first stars of evening and “the loveliest faces of women.” It’s a wonderful tribute not only to James, but to Annie Wright and Kay Ruark.
I’m pleased now to announce that Gibbons Ruark’s newest collection, Staying Blue, will soon be available at the Lost Hills Books website. Stay tuned!
