Braided Creek: A Conversation in Poetry: Expanded Anniversary Edition

These brief poems most resemble haiku. Sights, moments, and insights into life and beyond captured in few words. I've read and reread this gem a dozen times and always find new revelations. A perfect gift for yourself or anyone you love. If you're interested in haiku, I highly recommend— Haiku: A Poet's Guide by Lee Gurga.

These short poems are amazing, accessible, and great quality. Will probably re-read this book a couple times. This is a great pick for those new to poetry and for avid poetry fans. I've read Ted Kooser before, so was interested in this book, hadn't read the other authors work before, but will check his other works out.

Just when you begin to fear that text messaging and email have replaced real writing, that slogans and catch-phrases have replaced real thought, and that no one gives a damn about the English language any more... this wonderful book comes along to restore your faith and spirit!Before I began to read it, it seemed odd to me that none of the poems are attributed. Once I started reading, I realized immediately that this was a wise and marvelous choice by these two. As one of them notes, "Everyone gets tired of this continuing cult of the personality... This book is an assertion in favor of poetry and against credentials."I am enormously grateful to these two superb writers for allowing us to share a glimpse into their friendship and their thoughts. I'm giving it to everyone I know who deserves it.

Braided Creek is "braided" because it alternates every-other-page with a poem either by poet Jim Harrisonof by poet Ted Kooser. The poems are light, easy to follow and to understand, and are worthwhilebecause they offer the reader the opportunity to view simple, everyday events through the poets'writings, which often reveal larger meanings and values than a cursory review would have rendered.The reader is made more thoughtful and is thereby rewarded.

Too much wisdom here to comment. Too much hurt to recycle. Too much beautiful poetry to share with anyone other than yourself. I read this at 3:12 a.m., thinking anything Kooser-related would allow me a return to peaceful sleep ("splitting an order" or "at the cancer clinic" allows for grace without pity). But I underestimated Harrison, whose dark reality would keep a drunkard awake. Jim, please stop making me face reality. Ted, thank you for providing the grace to accept it. Anyway , it 's nearly 5 a.m. now, one potential final hour before hot tea. So I will move on to some modernist like Auden or Eliot where the words don't cut as deeply.

I liked everything about it, especially trying to figure out which poet wrote the poem. I own every book by both of them so I think I did okay.

I love this volume of poetry. The work springs from simple daily moments that will make you want to leap out into the back yard before you miss something. Lively, touching, funny, insightful. I love that these two men were friends who wrote poems back and forth and I am privileged to get a little glimpse of that friendship.From the author of:  Unexpected Innocence

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