Forbearance: Poems

by Cameron Brooks

The poems of Forbearance summon us to ponder a great mystery—the mystery of existence as such. They wrestle with the given, revel in the real. Here are lines of mirth and dearth on the vast Dakota plains. Here are poems about blizzards and jazz solos and eternity's gracious flowering in time.

Genres: Poetry

86 pages, Paperback

Published February 25, 2025

About the author

Cameron Brooks is the author of Forbearance (Cascade Books, 2025).

A poet and essayist from South Dakota, he holds degrees from the University of Sioux Falls (B.A.), Princeton Theological Seminary (M.A.) and Seattle Pacific University (M.F.A.).

Cameron's work is found in numerous journals and anthologies, including Poetry East, Cumberland River Review, Third Wednesday, North Dakota Quarterly, Ad Fontes, New Verse Review, and elsewhere. His poem “White Space” won the South Dakota State Poetry Society annual contest.

Cameron lives in Sioux Falls with his wife and son.

Reviews

[Toby Knutson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Final book!

[Kristin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is part love letter to the Midwest, and wholly a glimpse of the every day. Brooks touches on the landscape and seasons of both the Dakota land and life. He writes about smells he remembers, living in the world with technology, and he captures intentions well. The way he can capture a moment is one of his best gifts. Two pieces: one in a drug store and one a moment of an exchange in a parking lot are two of his best, in my opinion.

[Sarah Sims · Rating 5 out of 5]

Forbearance is the book you want in your saddlebags for the journey. It’s the grit and wit you’ll need when the winds pick up, because you know they will. And it’s the softness and elegance that reminds you there’s a whole heaven—yes, up there, and all around, beckoning you to witness and bear with it.

[Amy Ballard · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is art. It’s philosophical and tangible all at once. Cameron puts into words the mysteries of everyday life— from people we encounter with stories we’ll never fully know, to the beauty we could too easily miss right in front of us. He sees the details of life with a brilliant clarity and makes me want to do the same.

[Logan Thune · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is some visceral goodness on these pages. The selection of poems has great range, and yet it remains and feels deeply South Dakotan. Impressive, profound, humorous, nostalgic. The Plains-people may have found their poetic spokesperson.

[Eric Punt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m not a big poetry fan (aside from the communist shel Silverstein) but I enjoyed this book especially the poems describing South Dakota. I bet whoever wrote this can run a very fast 400m

[Felicia Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cameron Brooks’ Forbearance is a masterwork of lyrical precision and philosophical depth—one that doesn't just ask to be read, but invites you to return, reflect, and read again.

Brooks has the extraordinary gift to render nature, not as background, but as character—with heartbeat and voice. His poetry is tactile and transcendent, dancing me through the Dakotan plains and soft spirituality.

Some lines lingered with me like distant echoes:
"sunny thumbprints pressed against the paper bag brows of late September"
"the cottonwoods were sowing starry seeds”
"She strolled through constellations in the gilded hemisphere"
"the lamps of distant barns like stars from forgotten constellations"
"silence is the salve for a disintegrated soul"

As a fellow published poet, I found myself in awe of the restraint and grace in his work. There is so much emotional and ecological wisdom tucked into the quiet lines—a testament to a poet who listens as much as he writes.

I’ve bookmarked many pieces and already know Forbearance will become a touchstone on my shelf—a place I’ll return to when I need language that heals, humbles, and deepens to the core.

[Emma Winchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lyrical and bound with imagery that you keep tucked in your pocket (that which you know but forget about until rustled through). Brooks should get a Michelin star for the delicious morsels of language in this dear chapbook, all served with a gentle and inviting posture.

[Jodie Toresdahl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cameron Brooks captures ordinary life in poems in a way that makes my soul expand when I read his words. His deep love for South Dakota, his family, God, jazz, and the natural world comes through on the page. It is so clear that he lives attentively, and his poetry reminds me to pay attention to the beauty in my own life, too. This is a wonderful debut collection.

[Kevin Tracy]

good

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cameron Brooks has a way with words. You can tell he devoted a lot of time, care, and intentionality to every word choice, line break, and stanza. “The Seagull Scans a Fallow Field” is absolutely brilliant.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

A splendid debut collection from Cameron Brooks. I look forward to more. Not for nothing, the type and cover are beautiful. Grab a copy and enjoy!