Books

In the World of Poetry

Delights & Shadows
Ted Kooser
Copper Canyon Press; May 2004

"There are days when the fear of death/ is as ubiquitous as light. It illuminates/ everything." Pulitzer Prize winner Kooser's world is indeed illuminated, though more by an awareness of mortality and the importance of every moment. This Kooser's ninth collection of poems reflects the simple and remarkable things of everyday life. That he often sees things we do not would be delight enough, but more amazing is exactly what he sees. Nothing escapes him; everything is illuminated. There is much to celebrate in these small-town poems about small-town people and a reminder to all of us how America's voice and warm wisdom resonate from the middle. Highly recommended.

Selected Poems & Tales
Edgar Allan Poe
Barnes & Noble Books; September 2004

For more than a century-and-a-half, Edgar Allan Poe's poems and tales have thrilled readers with chilling accounts of matters mysterious and macabre. Dramatic and irreversible, Poe's work invites us to match our darkest imaginings to his vision of the world colored by grief and madness and haunted by specters of guilt and death. This illustrated edition captures Poe's best-known works in all their shadowy splendor through the incomparable art of Mark Summers. The book also features and introduction by best-selling fantasist and graphic novelist Neil Gaiman, who discusses his personal relationship with Poe's writing and its enduring impact. "Poe", he writes, "for all his short life and unfulfilled potential, remains as much read today, his finest stories as successful, as readable, as contemporary as anyone can desire." This new edition of Poe's unforgettable writing is a colorful and imaginative tribute to this most contemporary of classic writers.

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening
Robert Frost
Penguin Putnam Books; September 2001

Ever since it was published in 1978, the picture-book presentation of Robert Frost's poem "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" has been an enduring favorite. For this special edition with a new design, trim size, and three new spreads, Susan Jeffers has added more detail and subtle color to her sweeping backgrounds of frosty New England scenes. There are more animals to find among the trees, and the kindly figure with his "promises to keep" exudes warmth as he stops to appreciate the quiet delights of winter. The handsome new vellum jacket will attract new and old fans as it evokes a frost-covered windowpane. This celebration of a season makes an ideal gift for those who adore poetry.
(Source: Friends Book Corner, Rafin Plaza, Dhaka New Market)

Compiled by: Sanyat Sattar

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