Gatherin' Emily: Poems of the Heart [Hardcover]

Jesse Wilder (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 15, 1999

Jesse Wilder captures his heart's journey in Gatherin' Emily, a collection of more than 40 unabashedly romantic poems. Of butterflies and ice cream, moonlit dances and roses, Wilder's poetry is at times passionate, at times playful, always lyrical, as a love affair, a marriage, a union, unfold in verse.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Gatherin' Emily is a collection of deeply felt love poems. In its diction, Jesse Wilder's verse hearkens back to an earlier era; in its form, this poetry reminds us that rampant, passionate, emotions can be framed within structures of elegant rhythms and rhymes. These sincere expressions of a young Romantic man are sensual and serious and playful. -- Professor Steven Youra, English Department, Cornell University

If you stumble over your words when you talk about love, take a lesson from Jesse Wilder. Gatherin' Emily, Jesse Wilder's new book of poems, is a collection of the most inspired, honest, head-over-heels love poems I've seen in a long time.

In Gatherin' Emily, Wilder sidesteps sentimentality and dives into the longing, the passion, and the mystery of love. But he doesn't stop there. In forty-three well-crafted poems, Jesse Wilder confronts the realities of love, too. As you turn the pages of this beautiful hardback book, you come to a deeper understanding of the way romantic love fulfills, enlightens, and binds together even as it confuses and humbles lovers.

As a poet, I respect the clean lines of these poems, the ease with which the rhymes are made, and the fresh approach Jesse Wilder takes to this age-old topic. As a woman, I recommend Gatherin' Emily as essential equipment for every man wooing a sweetheart. Speak to a woman like Jesse Wilder does, and she'll be yours forever. -- Sue Jelus, Editor, New Song Press

These poems oiled the squeaky door of my heart. In Gatherin' Emily, Jesse Wilder has courageously expressed, with no pretense, the sheer joy and utter vulnerability of a man's love for a woman. There are no lengthy allegories; no misfired metaphors. Only unaffected language, well-paced cadence and delicious images. Jesse Wilder has made poetry accesible to all of us again. -- Staci Backauskas, Author of the spiritual fiction novel, The Fifth Goddess

From the Inside Flap

"...Affirming loves enduring mystery, these poignant poems contain much joy, refracted through the prism of his heart. Wilder's facility with various forms of verse and imagery, merging with his recognition and awareness, creates a sensitive portrait of two lives intertwining. We are fortunate, indeed, that he has captured these moments in words. His poems are experiences, in addition to being about an experience; his music and meaning meld. Classic in form, but contemporary in language, these poems challenge the notion that tender feelings have no place in modern poetry. In beautifully organized sequence, the poems are renderings of moments, to quote Wilder, both simple and significant in our life together. What began as scribbled love notes and impassioned words uttered on one knee has become a journey of written emotions dedicated to moments, a testament to that first moment and every moment since. Wilder's poems transcend those times as they evoke his exuberance and ecstasy, vividly depicting moments intimate and imaginative. Always lyrical, whether celebratory, contemplative, or sensual, he dares to write with an unusual abandon about blessedness and bliss..."

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 72 pages
• Publisher: Winds Errand; 1 edition (November 15, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0967224535
• ISBN-13: 978-0967224534
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.2 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,973,603 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A superbly moving collection., June 6, 2000

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Gatherin' Emily: Poems of the Heart (Hardcover)

Gatherin' Emily: Poems Of The Heart is a superbly moving collection of forty-three unabashedly romantic poems by Jesse Wilder. Wilder's lyrical poetry ranges from the passionate to the playful. Tell Me: Tell me what part of me first caught your eye/that night when goodness found her home in me./What made your heart perform a double-take/and keeps you captivate to this day?/Tell me why I still paint your face a smile/with just the simplest whisper of your name/Or when we trudge all bundled through the park,/Snow's perfect blanket left in disarray./While silent flurries hug our quiet night/the fire pirouettes to pass the time,/Until I sigh and steal a glimpse at you/ to always catch you stealing one my way./Tell me that you'll know my words forever/and late at night your curve will know my joy./Then right before sleep apprehends our dreams/just tell me that your love is here to stay.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Gift for Valentine's Day, January 9, 2000

By 

Barbara O'Neill - See all my reviews

This review is from: Gatherin' Emily: Poems of the Heart (Hardcover)

As a student of Victorian literature, I read and came to love the poetry of Robert Browning, Tennyson and Rossetti, so I was pleased to find poetry in the same vein being written today. Although I enjoyed reading the entire collection, my favorites are "Wishes" and "At First Sight." In both, the poet is able to paint a deep sense of eternal commitment from one person to another.

The poems are wonderfully romantic and evocative, and would make a great gift this upcoming Valentine's Day--or anytime you wish to communicate your love and devotion.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful book to be treasured., December 3, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Gatherin' Emily: Poems of the Heart (Hardcover)

'Gathering Emily' by Jesse Wilder is a book of poetry reminiscent of the love expressed in depth by Robert Browning for his wife, Elizabeth. The title is taken from one of a collection of over forty pieces of work that chronicle, in words, the love found and embraced by the author and his wife.

Each piece is beautiful on its own merit, but experienced in their entirety, they tell a love story that is clear and breathtaking to the reader. Poignant, playful and deeply passionate, 'Gathering Emily' is a rare peek into a true and honest love. Wilder is generous and unselfish in allowing the world to see into the recesses of his heart and soul. His words give life to his work in such a way, that the emotions rise up from the page to enfold and enrapture his reader.

The book's beautifully crafted cover, is just an indication of the beauty contained within. It is clear the publisher handled this publication with the class and care befitting such a body of work. This is truly a book that belongs in the possession of all who have had an admiration of poetry, romance, and talent.