Rose

Moving as well as troubling, the author primarily details his relationship with his father and his father’s death

An excellent collection by a contemporary poet.

At turns heartbreaking and at other moments humorous, Lee always presents his poems with lyrical and haunting detail, impressing upon readers the importance of a single given moment. I'd read many of these poems in the past (a few have been included in more than one anthology), but this was my first time reading the collection as a single long work. And, in the end, this is one of those collections that calls to be read as a whole. With cycles of references to flowers, to the power of memory, and to the simple sound and gift of rain, the poems come together with a larger power than any one of them holds alone. Yet, Lee's elegant style is translated as well into each single poem. Each is accessible, worthwhile, and memorable on its own. There is no filler here, and much to enjoy for both casual readers and long-time lovers of poetry alike. Absolutely, this is recommended, and of those poetry books that I'll pass on both to friends who haven't yet found Lee's work (rare as they may be), and to that reader who might just be considering a venture into pleasure-reading poetry. This full collection is one I'll return to.

Two of my favorite poems reside in this book. The Gift and From Blossoms. But to be truthful, almost any poem from this book is beautiful and thought provoking. In my mind, this is Li-Young Lee's best (that I've read!). Get it!