Journey: New and Selected Poems, 1969-1999

Now I see so clearly on the days when rain turns to snow wind passes quickly along the surfaces of things, how calmly it probes this chilly place where I have moved with everything I own. ~ from Evaporation poem 3 While reading Kathleen Norris' poems, I cannot help feeling nostalgic for a life I've never lived. Then, suddenly she writes about a part of a life I have lived and I can somehow relate to both situations. I started to read this book months ago, and then finally decided to read three poetry books all in a row. I am impressed with Kathleen's poems because they take many forms and express a wide range of emotions. She is the ever-observant poet who can remember the exact details of her experiences, right down to the exact wording of various conversations. "Excerpts from the Angel Handbook" threw me into an instant state of amusement. In this poem angels are instructed in such important principles as hiding their wings or listening and never telling a lie. You will never tell a lie, but you will have many secrets. In fact, the poem amused me so much... I am going to send it to a friend who claims he is an angel. I'm amused. Then, onward to the erotic musings in "The Dancers." In this poem, a preacher's daughter reveals her thoughts about a farmer boy. Through reading Kathleen's poetry, you enter her inner world and peer out through her words, observing the sheer magnificence of a world in which a poet dances. The first few poems( 1969-1973) seem to have a coolness in their observation. By the time you reach "Inheritance" on page 31, you can feel Kathleen starting to really delve into her deeper emotions. The poems from 1982-1986 are filled with surprises. Anyone who loves to cook will enjoy the exuberant "Pommes de Terre." If you are looking for something a little more innocently erotic, you might enjoy "Young Lovers with Pizza." By the time you reach the poems from 1987-1999, you have seen Kathleen explore so many emotions and worlds. She seems to be returning to deeply rooted traditions. She says goodbye to those she loves, she seems to be searching for meaning and then finally seems to find a place for God in her life. I also loved the last poem and especially the last six lines about the bumblebee. ~The Rebecca Review

Had a collection of Kathleen Norris's poetry come out a few years ago, I would have bought it, and never had the pleasure of searching for and finding her earlier, out-of-print books. For those less motivated to hunt for Falling Off, The Middle of the World, The Year of Common Things, and Astronomy of Love, this is perfect buy as it includes most of the poems in those collections as well as poems from her more recent book of poems, Little Girls in Church.The cover art isn't especially beautiful (surprising since it is a University of Pitt Press book) and the title is a bit weak, but let neither of these things discourage you from purchasing the book. If you're a fan of any of KN's work (non-fiction or poetry), you'll want this collection. If you're a ardent reader of contemporary poetry, you'll want this collection. If you'd never read poetry beyond high school, you'll want to open this book, as it will surely make you hungry for more poetry.Like her instructions to angels in her poem "Excerpts from the Angel Handbook," she is always asking us to be open and wary, skeptical and believing, and dreaming and restless. Her poems implore us to be better than we are, to listen more closely to the music in our head, and to watch out for and care for the lonely traveler, the needy neighbor, the lost among us, and the loving.