The Long Marriage: Poems

Misfortunes never neglect us even in our old age. They come again and again to haunt and injury our body and our spirit. Kumin's collection reflects on these experiences, some are misfortunes, that come to her, and to us, to bruise our lips, our hearts, our memories of friendships, our relationship to the natural world, and our souls. Hollie likes her so I thought I would give the poet a thorough try. Besides, Kumin breeds Arabian and quarter horses. And reading Kumin inspires me to concoct mediterranean cuisines, pita with hummus and Yukon potatoes sauteed with cumin. A good anthology to begin to sample the spirit of a delectable Philadelphia native: "When Mother was little, all/ that she knew about flying was what/ her bearded grandfather told her:/ every night your soul flies/ out of your body and into/ God's lap. He keeps it under his handkerchief until morning."