Customer Reviews

Risking Everything: 110 Poems of Love and Revelation

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Writer and editor Roger Housden's luminous and inspirational compilation of poetry "Risking Everything: 110 Poems of Love and Revelation," is one of the best anthologies of this type I have read or seen. This is Housden's fourth volume of a series that began with "Ten Poems To Change Your Life."

In "Risking Everything: 110 Poems of Love and Revelation," Housden selected 110 poems from around the world, whose poets' lives and works span the centuries. I frequently open the book at random and never fail to be moved. Housden has written: "Great poetry happens when the mind is looking the other way and words fall from the sky to shape a moment that would normally be untranslatable." Carl Sandburg wrote: "Poetry is the journal of the sea animal living on land, wanting to fly in the air. Poetry is a search for syllables to shoot at the barriers of the unknown and the unknowable. Poetry is a phantom script telling how rainbows are made and why they go away." And from Emily Dickenson: "To see the Summer Sky / Is Poetry though never in a Book it lie / True Poems flee." Whatever poetry is, some of the best can be found here.

Included in this volume are: "Poetry" by Pablo Neruda, "On Angels" "Eyes" by Czeslaw Milosz, "Today Like Every Other Day" by Rumi, "That Day" by Denise Levertov, "Milkweed" by James Wright, "My Fiftieth Year" by W. B. Yeats, "Sunset," and "The Swan" by Ranier Marie Rilke, "The Wind One Brilliant Day" by Antonio Machado, "Everything Is Plundered" by Anna Akhmatova, "Lines Composed A Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey" (excerpt) by William Wordsworth, "A Homecoming" by Wendell Berry, "The Third Body" by Robert Bly, "To have without holding" by Marge Piercy, "Deeper Than Love" by D. H. Lawrence, "The Peace of Wild Things" by Wendell Berry," "Soul At The White Heat" and "Wild Nights" by Emily Dickenson, "I Thank You" by E.E. Cummings, "Postscript" by Seamus Heaney, "The Road Not Taken" Robert Frost.

Roger Housdan is the author of numerous books on cultural and spiritual themes, including the bestselling Ten Poems series.

JANA

A few days ago I picked up a copy of Roger Housden's anthology Risking Everything: 110 Poems of Love and Revelation. Today I opened it at a random page, and suddenly felt compelled to start reading the poem out loud. It was D. H. Lawrence's Deeper Than Love, and I found myself reading it slowly, lingering over the words, tasting them, feeling their weight on my tongue.

Love, like the flowers, is life, growing.

But underneath are the deep rocks, the living rock that lives alone

and deeper still the unknown fire, unknown and heavy, heavy and alone.

The noise of the air conditioner in the kitchen drowned my speech (it's a miserable night, dew point around 75, no central air) which was good: I was only reading for myself. I finished the Lawrence, and opened again at random: Billy Collins' This Much I Do Remember. Not a poem to read out loud, this one, but one to close your eyes and see what the poet had seen:

that I could feel it being painted within me

brushed on the wall of my skull

And of course all of Housden's favourites are here, like old familiar friends: Rumi, Bly, and above all Mary Oliver. What a glorious collection.

Roger Housden made his name with his series of "Ten Poems" books, featuring ten poems with his remarks. In Risking Everything he tries a slightly different format: a hundred and ten poems, sans commentary.

His selections run the gamut. Naturally, no one will be pleased with every choice, but everyone ought to like some choice: poets range from the ancient Chinese Chuang-tzu to modern American writers like Robert Bly and Billy Collins; themes include everything from Parkinson's Disease to the Buddha.

Although the book is, of course, suitable for browsing, Housden has obviously put careful thought into the order of the poems. For example, a poem about the perfect life may be adjacent to Robert Bly's "The Resemblance Between Your Life and a Dog"; D.H. Lawrence's meditation "Snake" is right next to Wendell Barry's "The Peace of Wild Things." Housden has arranged the selections so that they make a coherent and meaningful whole when taken together, meandering from subject to subject.

Housden has primarily chosen accessible poems, which makes Risking Everything appropriate for readers who still hold that numinous fear of poetry that plagues many of us; at the same time, his selections and arrangement are sophisticated enough to sate experienced poetry readers as well.

~

The topic of this anthology of poetry, "risking everything," is perfect for anyone needing or starting a new venture in life. These poems encourage us to throw open the doors and try again. What is not risky is the quality of the work. Some of the genre's most beloved and accomplished poets are represented: Mary Oliver, Rumi, Derek Walcott, Emily Dickinson, Rilke, Hafiz, and so many more. Well-done translations, too. Whether you attempt or only dream of change, the introductory chapter will set you up for whatever comes next in your life, and the poems will follow through with a one-two punch to your soul.

Already a fan of Frost, Cummings, Dickinson, Eliot, Kunitz, and Rilke, I began with James Wright: "Today I Was Happy, So I Made This Poem." Then I discovered, "We Shall Not Cease," by Eliot, the "Holy Spirit" by Hildegard and "Sunset" of Rilke! Quickly as carried back into that, never-never Land of youthful days, I settled into early favorites of Robert Frost and ee Cummings!

In addition to these favorites by Wright, Eliot, Hildegard, Rilke, I have come to a renewed reverence for Goethe, Wordsworth and Robert Bly!

Back to days spent singing with Robert Shaw and Frostiana Pieces like, "The Road Not Taken and "I Thank You God for this amazing day." These stand alongside the 99 year-old Stanley Kunitz, "The Long Boat!"

FROM one who tends toward nostalgia, Retired Chaplain, Fred W Hood, "barbara377" (Fayetteville Georgia United States)

I have been carrying this book around with me since I purchased it at the beginning of the year. It has helped carrying me through a pretty rough personal time. As usual, Housden is spot on with his choices; in terms of nourishing the spirit, there's a range of choice, and there isn't a bad poem in the lot. In fact, some of the best poems ever written are collected here. This book has become so meaningful for me that I'm requiring it for my new poetry students next semester. I've also given copies as gifts. Don't miss it!

Most poems are solid selections but some are downright sappy...not up to the vigor I'd expect from "Risking Everything" for a title. Still, it's good to have a volume that is thematically linked, and many are good ol' standards. Selections are from across cultures and ages. Worth having, but not essential.

This book is filled with a lot of eye opening poetry. I think any lover of good poetry should have this for their collection.

I return to a really good anthology (Staying Alive) over and over to find favorites and to stumble upon those I've not read yet, and those poems I've forgotten.

I haven't picked up this book (Risking Everything) a second time - there's just nothing in it I need to read again. Too bad.