This April Day [Paperback]

Judson Mitcham (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 12, 2003

Poetry. "Judson Mitcham is, to use his own fine phrase, a `comedian of innocence.' And in his new book [THIS APRIL DAY] he shows himself to be a comedian of experience as well. I can't think of a poet in America today who is writing more movingly or with a greater depth of humor. His poems can inspire tears or laughter. Often both"--Mark Jarman.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

In his day job, so to speak, Mitcham is a psychology professor at a state university in Georgia. On the evidence of his immensely appealing, vivid, listenable poems, he must be a terrific teacher. He has the common touch in an entirely good way. When he expands upon the could-be sentimental opening of "History of Rain"--"What if every prayer for rain brought it down?"--and posits Jesus' sense of humor in "The Foolishness of God Is Wiser Than Men," he isn't condescendingly folksy; instead, he compels eye-opening realizations of the world's and God's complexities. He deftly deploys the personal anecdote to make moral points: the three stories that make up "The Question" inculcate, not with leaden didacticism but with lyrical truth, primary knowledge about the evils of race-hatred and merely social piety. In a lighter vein, he prescribes a laundry list of don'ts for poets ("A Preface to an Omnibus Review"), and he isn't afraid to tug at the heartstrings (see "Desire" and the book-closer, "An Introduction"). You've gotta take a class of his. Ray Olson
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About the Author

Judson Mitcham’s first collection of poems, "Somewhere in Ecclesiastes," won the Devins Award and was published in 1991 by the University of Missouri Press. His work has appeared in many literary journals, including The Georgia Review, Poetry, and Harper’s. His novel, "The Sweet Everlasting," was published in 1996 by the University of Georgia Press. It won the Townsend Prize and was a finalist for the Southern Book Critics Award. Mitcham is an associate professor of psychology in the Department of Behavioral Sciences at Fort Valley State University. He has also taught creative writing at the University of Georgia, Emory University, and Mercer University. He lives in Macon, Georgia, with his wife, Jean, and they have two children, Zach and Anna.

Product Details

• Paperback: 94 pages
• Publisher: Anhinga Press (January 12, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0938078739
• ISBN-13: 978-0938078739
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.8 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,487,354 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Beautiful Collection, July 21, 2005

By 

Timothy Haugh (New York, NY United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: This April Day (Paperback)

I first tracked this book down because it contains a poem that I first came across in Poetry magazine which has become one of my favorite poems. The poem is called, "The Foolishness of God Is Wiser Than Men." In it, Mitcham takes on "God's editors [who] erased what they thought not right:/...how Jesus laughed." He gives us wonderful images of a laughing Christ who is human but no less divine for sharing this most human of reactions. Wonderful!

It is impossible to find a collection of poems where all the poetry is of the highest quality but Mr. Mitcham comes pretty close. I found many of these poems to be very well done; in particular, "History of Rain," "Comedian," "The Funerals of Strangers," "Together" and "Calvin's Wife." I also very much enjoyed another poem on the theme of laughter called (surprise) "Laughter." In this poem we are given accounts of laughter in the face of horror and tragedy which are very moving, especially in the first three sections.

There are a number of recurring themes in these poems: the loss of his father, the placement of his mother in a nursing home and the solaces of religion. Ultimately, however, there is a joy and gentleness that is an undercurrent to these poems that brings you back to them despite the presence of loss and death. This is a very fine collection.