In this book various poets write about their encounter with faith, mostly in their lives, but also as revealed in their poetry. The book is wide ranging, and the nature of their prose writing about themselves can be more personal or digress to the world around them. Some of the pieces have a very interview flavor, others are certainly well-crafted by the poet without a lot of editorial impulse.

I started by reading what Fanny Howe had to say about herself in the middle of the book. I knew her from Holy Smoke, a novel with Episcopalians in off-suburban Rhode Island.. I discovered that Howe realy identifies more with Catholicism, even when this is very unsmooth. I let my eyes drift to Li-Young Lee's essay and I got captured by the book, which I am still readin and want to own for myself. There is a Mennonite, and a Native American, and an agnostic, and an African-American Jew and so forth. So the book is one of discovery. ( )

A great book which introduced me to several new poets, offered me new insights into aspects of other poets' work, and generally provoked reflection. Also, it is full of statements worth quoting, including this one which I gave to your mother this morning: "...we live between suffering and the ultimate reality of love." ( )

The dormant life of language when stirred by poetry, awakens and releases the dormant life in us, and that current can carry us, if not to God, at least to the possibility of God. - Christian Wiman

Ilya Kaminsky and Katherine Towler have collected conversations with nineteen contemporary poets about their faith, their creativity and the connections between the two. The book jacket claims conversations with poets, but there seems to be only one actual interview/conversation (with Li-Young Lee). The rest of the essays appear to be from a series of letters/emails between the authors and the poets. Some of the essays seem disjointed or repetitive. That's my only complaint about this otherwise beautiful book.
Each poet discusses their personal history with religion - what religion they were raised in, their experiences with spirituality/religion, their spiritual searches and their present spiritual/religious life. Most of the poets link their creativity with their spirituality. Almost every religion is represented - Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, Wiccan, Islam, Native American, Native Hawaiian, Amish and Quagan (Quaker Pagan). One of the poets is an atheist.
Of course I was most interested in reading the essays about the poets whose work I know and love - Li-Young Lee, Jane Hirshfield, Carolyn Forche and Joy Harjo. But all of the essays were interesting and touching and I found my way to the poetry of many of the new-to-me poets : Alicia Ostricker, Anne Finch, Fanny Howe, Gerald Stern and Grace Paley.
Recommended. ( )

Kaminsky and Towler bring together a wide range of faiths among the 19th contemporary poets they interview for this book. Whether Amish or Zen, Jewish or Islamic, Christian or Atheist, all the poems thoughtfully examine the role that faith has played in their lives. Each essay-interview has one of the poet's poems as an epilogue. Such a small taste of the poetry of these writers is one of the few drawbacks of this interesting book. While the poems are well-chosen for how they relate to the poet's faith, they don't do enough to make us want to read more by these individuals.

Nevertheless, the poets are allowed the freedom to express themselves about faith in whatever way they choose. Some focus on faith, others focus on the events of their lives, and others focus on poetry. All in all, this collection shows a panorama of thoughtful people giving honest answers to some of the most mysterious questions we can ask. ( )

This is an anthology of essays by nineteen contemporary poets examining the ways spirituality fuels their writing and their lives.

The editors interviewed the poets in person or through email and then removed the question and answer format to create a single voice for each chapter. Each section has a short biography of the poet and lists his or her works, followed by the essay and a poem.

With this variety of voices, there are many expressions of God: Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, Judaism, Paganism, Native American and even atheism. Many have experienced several spiritual paths in their lives and are no longer practicing the religion of their childhood. For some, their God is the vital force in their life. For others, any focused expression such as is found in a kiss or in the creation of a poem is holy and a moment of prayer.

The essays are lovely and lyrical and the prose often turns poetic. Most are centered on the writing of the poems; that moment of creation when energy is pinpoint sharp and revelation occurs.

Its thoughtful prose makes this a volume that I will return to. One reading will not suffice in absorbing what the authors want to say. Happily this book’s format invites dipping in and out and savoring. It’s also a wonderful introduction to the poets in the volume and I will pursue the work of several of them. ( )