Berton Braley is perhaps my favorite poet, who remains an unknown in many circles. This collection contains, in my opinion, some of his best poems. Braley 's style is often playful but down to earth, expressing real American values such as truth, independence, pride, and rationality. Those on the Left might not like some of the poems authored during the Great Depression because he was critical of government interventionism. I think that it would have been even better had it included "The Boxer". Nonetheless, it is one book that I remove from the shelf regularly to peruse and enjoy.
Brief excerpt from the final stanza of The Boxer (to give you a feel for his style and verse)
I'm through with being counted out,
From taking blows high-powered,
Because I thought some stupid lout
Might holler "Fight, you coward!"
If nature gave me skill, not strength,
I'll not be bruised and pounded,
But use my bean until at length
The finish gong is sounded.
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A richly rewarding novel about family bonds, the power of words, and the resilience of mothers and daughters in 1930s Appalachia. | Learn more
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