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Selected Poems of John Drinkwater

John Drinkwater

This remarkable selection of poems from the pen of master poet John Drinkwater is outstanding in its portrayal of the poet's deep appreciation of all aspects of the wonder of human existence. These are poems of life, life's ups and downs, its joys, its sorrows, its tragedy. This is Drinkwater at his best - the poet of the present, the eternal, the here and now - embarking on an ardent quest for meaning in life experiences, some extraordinary, some mundane, experiences elegantly expressed in these poems of marvel and revelation. Drinkwater writes of a common lived experience in poems that resonate with us all, "Still in a world that fortune cannot change," trapped by, "This nature, this great flood of life, this cheat / That uses us as baubles for her coat."

The triumph of love and Drinkwater's deep conviction of its saving graces is richly evident throughout this collection, whether it be the love of the miracles of nature or of the binding love between two living souls, itself one of the greatest miracles. Drinkwater expresses in most graceful terms his fervent ardor coupled with wonder at the role the phenomenon of love plays in this life, a life whose purpose remains ceaselessly obscure and mysterious. As his personal journey of life's/love's discovery concludes in this selection of poems, Drinkwater is compelled to assert, "And when life needs no more of us at all, / Love's word will be the last that we recall" - the essence of which being an apt summary of the value and sentiment this great poet would wish to leave at the doorstep of our open minds to ponder after this, his current mission.
- Summary by Bruce Kachuk