Talking Into the Ear of a Donkey
Poems
Robert Bly (Author)
“The kind of volume anyone should read for the exquisite pleasure of encountering poetry completely under its creator’s tremendous control.”—The Rumpus
In his richest and most varied collection of poems to date, Robert Bly mines lifelong fascination with poetic form. The poems in Talking into the Ear of a Donkey range from free verse to Bly’s uniquely American version of the famous ghazal form. In the title poem, Bly addresses the “donkey”—possibly poetry itself—which has carried him through a writing life of more than six decades:
from "Talking into the Ear of a Donkey"
"What has happened to the spring,"
I cry, "and our legs that were so joyful
In the bobblings of April?" "Oh, never mind
About all that," the donkey
Says. "Just take hold of my mane, so you
Can lift your lips closer to my hairy ears."
Book Details
- Paperback
- November 2012
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ISBN 978-0-393-34364-9
- 5.5 × 8.3 in
/ 112 pages
- Territory Rights: Worldwide including Canada, but excluding the British Commonwealth.
Other Formats
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Hardcover
Endorsements & Reviews
“The clear diction of Talking into the Ear of a Donkey makes accessible its transcendental themes, including the wisdom of the animal world and the spiritual connection between humankind and nature. . . . [Bly’s] poems, while spiritual, celebrate the worldly delights: shining fish, giant moose and bird song.” — Minneapolis Star-Tribune
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Hardcover
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