In this new collection of 52 poems, we see a master at the height of his powers, one who has allowed the “wildness” of existence to drive out arrogance. He is our witness on the “yearning shore,” reminding us that even when the world feels shrouded in “desperate folly,” we are not lost. He teaches us a way of communion that requires no chanting or spells—only “one simple yes” to the wonders that persist despite the darkness.
Don Hynes is more than a poet of our generation; he is a keeper of the “hidden stone,” the birthplace of beauty. He reminds us that even as the cultural landscape seems to “descend,” we have the “stars in flight” to guide us. He proves, through every carefully chosen word, that we are “children of the eternal,” and that even in the deepest frost of the soul, we are good.
The sunlit path, orange-gold on the sea, one lone fisherman trolling the depths for the wisdom that might free you from the ancient snare. Prayer is not to beg, but casts an invisible line baited in love’s own flesh, with the patience to wait. So I speak into the dark,
After a deep ebb tide the sea slowly floods, covering the mystery with saltwater healing. My heart rests between rise and fall, the pain of loss, the slow relief of grace, and like the sea, filled with earth solace.
Into the wordless silence I spirit-walk the new day, bare feet to ground, eyes open in early light. Shaped and shriven by the quiet earth, I take my place among the newborn, awake to the world while others sleep.
