Idlewild

by Bates Whitaker

Author Bates Whitaker presents a captivating blend of unconventional poetry and ramshackle essays, capturing a life intertwined with nature and the divisive belief systems that distance us from it. Balancing brooding introspection with moments of transcendence, Whitaker delves into existential trauma, anxiety, and sorrow that stem from the perils of postmodern American religiosity and individualism. Using vivid poetic imagery suffused with nostalgia, he explores these themes through motifs like coyote pups, kudzu-shrouded railroad tracks, mutilated brook trout, deer blood, and blackberry thickets. Within the pages of Idlewild, Whitaker intertwines the brutal nature of being human, the degradation of the natural world, and the often harmful frameworks we employ to make sense of it all. Amidst this exploration, he intertwines messages of existential hope, the sense of belonging to a community, and an unwavering connection to the earth. Equal parts lamentation and joy, Idlewild resonates with the grace that emanates from the harmony of both divine and earthly sources, while challenging our perception of their inherent dichotomy.

100 pages, Paperback

Published June 26, 2023

Reviews

[Anna Whitaker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m biased. I’m the wife, the partner, the Anna of the woods and the trumpet flowers and the encourager of vocality. But I’m also the reader and the participant, the assesser and the pupil, and I’m honored to have been encountered by Bates’s work. I hope this is the first of many collections, the mere beginnings of the author’s musings. A must read.

[Allison Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

So good. And interesting. And thought-provoking. A beautiful collection of poems and poetical essays that take a deep dive into harsh realities and bitter truths or--what things we think to be true despite gnawing questions. Although I don't necessarily agree with all of his conclusions I appreciate the wrestling and realness of how he got to the points in his journey represented by the different pieces of writing collected here. A fair bit of language. But also such beautiful imagery it is sometimes difficult to see the ideas discussed because of the beautiful picture painted to portray the ideas. Which is always so beautiful and amazing to me.

[Taylor Condron · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this book up looking for solace, a small poem to help clear my mind or bury it somewhere else for a while. But I found myself moving from page to page and laughing out loud (which rarely ever happens) and holding my breath in anticipation.

The genuine pull of the author portrays a character of such honesty you feel a need to look away, they seem so naked in front of you. Yet you feel great comfort in knowing others may be as unsure in this life as yourself.

[Katie Brown]

A chronicling of changing beliefs & deconstructing. And a homecoming - Idlewild is the place that has nurtured the wild/natural spirit all along. Resonates w me