Letters From a Stranger

by James Tipton, Isabel Allende (Forward)

This collection of poems by James Tipton contains a Foreward by Isabel Allende. Each poem testifies to the bedrock of Tipton's imagination and taken together, the poes are extravagant yet earthy, tender yet passionate, wild yet intimate, crazy yet hopeful. It is a poetry of transformations, an invocation of exuberant vitality.

Genres: Poetry

82 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 1998

Reviews

[Brian Wasserman · Rating 2 out of 5]

After reading Michelle lovrics Bleeding Hearts anthology I checked out this book. I had high hopes..an American author whose poetry rivaled Neruda's, how exciting! There is a lot of pretense, if anything in this book I would compare him to Robert Bly, a lot of superficial mysticism, and allusion porn to gratify critics. Some authors only become more adept at their craft in the later years of their career like Mary Oliver, but some lose originality in their later works like James Tipton. I think Ill see if his earlier books are any better.

[Angie Fehl · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

There's a little Pablo Neruda energy to these poems, especially "I Watched At Low Tide Your Breasts Rise".

[Mikel Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

From my Amazon review: The foreword from Isabel Allende for this impressive collection says Jim Tipton writes poetry like Pablo Neruda. I say some of these poems are better. Some wander here and there, but Tipton's work as a whole is impressive, satisfying, and thought-provoking. I'm not sure how he managed to transition from a beekeeper to a professional author and poet, but readers will be glad he did. This volume should be required reading in English programs from high school through college.

[Abby]

Found Tipton's work in The Geography of Hope: Poets of Colorado's Western Slope, and had to have more. Turns out there is not very much more (published, that is, rather than stamped and mailed to Isabel Allende). These poems are filling and textured, and clearly the products of a very specific creative period. I would like to get a crayon and color "bread", "salt", "flesh", etc. as they get used again and again in different poems. It's a lovely book, but especially with Allende's introduction, I can't help feeling a bit like an intruder. They're only talking to each other.

[Jack B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding book of southwest-flavored, semi-mystical, and often sensuous poetry. From the U of M professor turned mysterious western colorado beekeeper. Hey, this book was good enough to get the attentions of Isabel Allende.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why does no one know about this poet?!?