According to legend, the language of the birds was a mystical language God used to talk with Adam and Eve when he walked with them in the garden of Eden. Amy Nemecek listens for this divine dialect as she communes with God on her walks along country roads and creek banks, through forests and hayfields. She observes the world around her with expectation, knowing that God still speaks to us as he is at work making all things new. If we have ears to hear, we can catch snippets of his grace in the watercolor silhouette of a bird, the thrum of a tractor engine, the tang of a grapefruit, the curvature of an ampersand. Amy doesn’t want to miss any of it, so she remains attentive to the smooth grit of beach sand, the tendrils of a nebula, and the steady gaze of a fossil. She delights in the details, and you will too.
In this collection of lyric and narrative poems, you are invited to walk with her as she reflects on larger themes of beauty, loss, motherhood, family, and vocation. She contemplates the sacredness of ordinary moments that we usually don’t recognize except in hindsight. Twining through every line is an aching hopefulness that ties together her love of words, her devotion to scripture, and her deep gratitude for each of life’s joys and griefs.
Product Preview
| Format: | Paperback book |
|---|---|
| Product code: | PP7873 |
| Dimensions: | 5½" x 8½" |
| Length: | 96 pages |
| Publisher: |
Paraclete Press
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| ISBN: | 9781640607873 |
| 1-2 copies | $18.48 each |
|---|---|
| 3-9 copies | $17.64 each |
| 10-49 copies | $16.80 each |
| 50-99 copies | $16.38 each |
| 100+ copies | $15.75 each |
Praise
To hear the kind of music offered by nature’s choristers, amid an infinite world of competing voices, a listener needs a focus of intention and attention. This is the task of every poet, and this is Amy Nemecek’s calling and vocation. In this brilliant transcription of responsive poems we are reminded of the generous beauty offered us by our Creator, if we would only look and listen, if we would join in offering praise. Read these lovely verses and give thanks.
I’ve had the great pleasure of taking a walk in the woods with Amy Nemecek. Her pace is of one not eager to win a race but of one hoping to see…hear…feel…know. She’s someone who marvels at dewy understory and takes great delight in a sparrow’s song. I’ve also had the great pleasure of reading Amy’s poetry. Her work is tender, insightful, brilliant. Readers can’t help but see, hear, and feel the world as the poet experiences it. Perhaps best of all is the way in which readers will encounter a sense of knowledge—both knowing the heart of the work and being known by it. What a gift that is.
Poetry is a creative art form that moves us past mere cognition and below depth of feeling into a profound knowing and being known. Amy’s poems shepherded my soul into a wondrous journey. I was inspired, transported, and seen. I highly recommend these poems to you. Enjoy how they will expand your own heart.
Rub dust on your palms, pluck the ripened sunshine, and taste this poetic grace. I can’t wait to receive Amy’s printed collection into my hands.
Author
Amy Nemecek fell in love with words at an early age. Her work has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize and is featured in numerous print and online journals and anthologies, including Presence, Relief Journal, Windhover, St. Katherine Review, and Whale Road Review. Amy works as a nonfiction editor for Baker Publishing Group. She lives in West Michigan with her husband, Sean, their adult son, Ben, and two cats. When she isn’t crafting words, she enjoys traveling to new places with her family and taking long walks in nature.
