Where Many Rivers Meet

by David Whyte

Where Many Rivers Poems

Genres: Poetry, Spirituality, Nonfiction

108 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1990

About the author

Poet David Whyte grew up with a strong, imaginative influence from his Irish mother among the hills and valleys of his father’s Yorkshire. He now makes his home in the Pacific Northwest of the United States.

The author of seven books of poetry and three books of prose, David Whyte holds a degree in Marine Zoology and has traveled extensively, including living and working as a naturalist guide in the Galapagos Islands and leading anthropological and natural history expeditions in the Andes, Amazon and Himalaya. He brings this wealth of experience to his poetry, lectures and workshops.

His life as a poet has created a readership and listenership in three normally mutually exclusive areas: the literate world of readings that most poets inhabit, the psychological and theological worlds of philosophical enquiry and the world of vocation, work and organizational leadership.

An Associate Fellow at Said Business School at the University of Oxford, he is one of the few poets to take his perspectives on creativity into the field of organizational development, where he works with many European, American and international companies. In spring of 2008 he was awarded an honorary doctorate from Neumann College, Pennsylvania.

In organizational settings, using poetry and thoughtful commentary, he illustrates how we can foster qualities of courage and engagement; qualities needed if we are to respond to today’s call for increased creativity and adaptability in the workplace. He brings a unique and important contribution to our understanding of the nature of individual and organizational change, particularly through his unique perspectives on Conversational Leadership.

Reviews

[Darrin Kramer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five Star Favorite: I enjoyed the flow of thought, and at times a surprise ending. It reminded me of my own writing style. Like all poets, I enjoyed his engaging questions in the poem, "What Is It Like?" The first stanza awakens us when he says:

"What is it like to be alone?
To fall into the abyss
where voices do not speak?

We can't stop reading at this point! We are drawn into answering those questions. This is a book you will enjoy.

[David Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love David Whyte and these poems, most all with a "water" theme, are beautiful, inspiring, and often challenging. I particularly enjoyed the section written about Tibet.

[Leigh Kramer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable, though not my favorite of Whyte's work. The Faces at Braga and Waking brought me to tears.

[Autumn · Rating 4 out of 5]

WAKING was my favorite poem in this collection. However, this book... I recommend you read it over your 1-hour-long lunch break, where you will promptly forget your office job. You'll forget your office job so deeply that you smell mountain water and hear meadowlarks. Your bagel with cream cheese will lie on the table, attracting a small bee. A woman will walk by, too loud on her small phone, and you'll drop back into your life. You can still hear the water, calling to you through your dreams.

[Austin Bauer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third book of poems I've read by David Whyte. It was my second favorite, possibly even tied for first with "The House of Belonging." It starts off a little slow, but there are some great poems with really good imagery the further in you get. It's cool to read about David's travels in the Himalayas, South America, etc. This book contains poems about those travels. Good stuff!

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was David's first book of poetry and it contains many gems. He connects to nature in inspiring ways. Knowing much of his later poetry, I was able to witness here how he grew as a poet. Great poem a day reader.

[Kelly McCord · Rating 4 out of 5]

For me, best read a couple poems at a time. Such fantastic imagery.

[Ivan Granger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adventurer, contemplative, business consultant — but, most deeply, poet. David Whyte is one of the most dynamic and insightful poets today. Where Many Rivers Meet is an excellent introduction to his voice.