Poetry of Grief, Gratitude, and Reverence

by John Brehm

A new anthology from the editor of the bestselling Poetry of Impermanence, Mindfulness, and Joy.

Signposts on a journey through the darkest and brightest moments of our lives, the poems gathered here are explorations of loss, of thanksgiving, of transformation. Some show a path forward and others simply acknowledge and empathize with where we are, but all are celebrations of poetry’s ability to express what seemed otherwise inexpressible, to touch deep inside our hearts—and also pull ourselves out of our selves and into greater connection with the world around us.

Includes poems by
Rainer Maria Rilke, Robert Frost, Elizabeth Bishop, Czeslaw Milosz, Seamus Heaney, Billy Collins, Joy Harjo, Danusha Lameris, Ada Limon, Kevin Young, Arthur Sze, Ellen Bass, Li Young-Lee, Natasha Tretheway, and many more.

The editor also includes an essay on appreciative attention and links to guided meditations for select poems, offering us a chance to have an even deeper experience of reflection.

Genres: Poetry

263 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 17, 2024

Reviews

[Rome Doherty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really appreciate this editor and poet's choices of poems. Like all anthologies, some poems are great and really strike home, and others not so much. More winners than losers for me in this bunch. The introductory and ending materials are well done. I also liked that he includes connections to on-line meditations for some of the poems.

[Bryan Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this selection of poems. Some new selections from familiar poets and discovery of new poets to explore more deeply. It didn't resonate with me quite as much as his collection The Poetry of Impermanence, Mindfulness, and Joy but is still among the better (consistent presence of poems that resonate and discovery of new poets) poetry anthologies that I have experienced. The Appendix essay, The Art of Appreciative Attention, alone makes this a worthwhile purchase/read in my opinion. I appreciate the way John Brehm approaches his poetry selections and cultivates a deeper appreciation for poetry and poetics. He has been nourishing and enlivening a growing passion for poetry in me since I picked up his book The Dharma of Poetry: How Poems Can Deepen Your Spiritual Practice and Open You to Joy.

[CMarie Fuhrman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I came to this book as I come to many themed anthologies: wanting to be submersed in the different voices and ways of seeing. And I was. The book was a walk through an immensley diverse forest and even as all of the poems did not speak to me, the gift of those poems was also a seeing. I have marked so many of the poems in this collection to return to. I am grateful for the editors wide range which included well-known and lesser known poets, but also well-known and lesser known poems fom established poets. This book was a wonderful place to turn every morning during these particular challenging times. I am grateful.

[Sasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a solid read, and I especially loved the recognition given to Li-Young Lee and Ellen Bass. A good combo of known poems (Wendell Berry's "Peace of Wild Things", Seamus Heaney's "Mid-Term Break") and lesser known (Denise Levertov sparkled here).

[RichVT · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an anthology of beautiful poems. The themes did not work as well as in the prior anthology collected by Brehm. There are links to meditative sessions which I perused but did not engage.

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing collection of comfort and authentic respect for inevitable emotion and experience. Wonderful reflections, expressions, and consolation.