Tish Pearlman: "Afterlife"

"In prose both direct and lyrical, Pearlman writes of what is fragile, what can be lost: a mother's hope, childish innocence. Lives. Her poems embrace the personal and the public,  from her own near-death experience to the national tragedies of AIDS and school shootings. She reminds us of what is precious,  what must be cherished. Her poems celebrate 'the lonely, proclaiming heart' and the possibility of joy and love amid the ruins. This newest collection is a treasure."

---- Jeanne Mackin,
Her most recent novel is "The Beautiful American"

From "Afterlife"

Mystery Arrives

No use trying to begin
At some starting point
The universe is on a
Flight pattern
Stars don’t even know
They are in retreat,
Or donning fine fire, burning
Toward oblivion
Nothing began, nothing ended
Arrival was instantaneous. You know this.
You kept your eye everywhere:
Inside where moist organs mouth
Consciousness
And when staring at  life
As it unfolds
We reach out for time, more time
As it evaporates
As we touch its arriving star dust
With empty hands

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Tish Pearlman is a poet, writer, broadcast journalist and community and political activist originally from Manhattan Beach, California. She is creator and host of the award-winning public radio interview show "Out of Bounds," which is produced in Ithaca, New York. In 2008, the program was awarded "Outstanding Public Affairs Program Series" by the New York State Broadcasters Association. She is the 2013-2014 Poet Laureate of Tompkins County, NY.

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"Afterlife"
a 72 page hand-sewn paper book with spine - $16.00.

To read another poem, the introduction, view the cover of the book or to order:
http://foothillspublishing.com/2014/id80.htm

To order through mail send total price plus $2.50 Shipping and Handling 
for each address sent to. 
(NYS Residents please add $.80 Sales Tax per book) 

Send orders to: 
FootHills Publishing 
PO Box 68 
Kanona, NY 14856 

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