The Shape of the Journey: New & Collected Poems

By Jim Harrison

Book Overview

"This is poetry worth loving, hating, and fighting over."--The New York Times Book Review

Here is the definitive collection of poetry from one of America's best-loved writers--now available in paperback. With the publication of this book, eight volumes of poetry were brought back into print, including the early nature-based lyrics of Plain Song, the explosive Outlyer & Ghazals, and the startling "correspondence" with a dead Russian poet in Letters to Yesenin. Also included is an introduction by Harrison, several previously uncollected poems, and "Geo-Bestiary," a 34-part paean to earthly passions. The Shape of the Journey confirms Jim Harrison's place among the most brilliant and essential poets writing today.

"Behind the words one always feels the presence of a passionate, exuberant man who is at the same time possessed of a quick, subtle intelligence and a deeply questioning attitude toward life. Harrison writes so winningly that one is simply content to be in the presence of a writer this vital, this large-spirited."--The New York Times Book Review

"(An) untrammelled renegade genius... here's a poet talking to you instead of around himself, while doing absolutely brilliant and outrageous things with language."--Publishers Weekly

"Readers can wander the woods of this collection for a lifetime and still be amazed at what they find."--Booklist (starred review.)

When the cloth edition of this book was first published, it immediately became one of Copper Canyon Press's all-time bestsellers. It was featured on Garrison Keillor's Writer's Almanac, became a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, and was selected as one of the "Top-Ten Books of 1998" by Booklist.

Jim Harrison is the author of dozens of books, including Legends of the Fall and In Search of Small Gods. He has also written numerous screenplays and served as the food columnist for Esquire magazine. He lives in Montana and Arizona.

Dead Deer

Amid pale green milkweed, wild clover,
a rotted deer
curled, shaglike,
after a winter so cold
the trees split open.
I think she couldn't keep up with
the others (they had no place
to go) and her food,
frozen grass and twigs, BR>

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1556591497
• ISBN13: 9781556591495
• Release Date: September 2000
• Publisher: Copper Canyon Press
• Length: 484 Pages
• Weight: 1.64 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

LIKE WALKING THROUGH A BEAUTIFUL FOREST

Author Jim Harrison says, "this book is the portion of my life that means the most to me". His poems vividly reflect the truth of his words. He writes about himself, his journey through life in outrageous and brilliant language weaving images of nature and earthly passions. Pause, and wander through the forests of this collection. It is lovely, lyrical and passionately beautiful.

Cabin Poem

"I have decided to make up my mind about nothing, to assume the water mask, to finish my life disguised as a creek,.."-from Cabin Poem. I met Jim Harrison once in New York. He and Russell Chatham signed the books I had collected by Harrison. My first thought was how could this gruff large loud man with one glass eye write such moving literature and poetry? How could he write with such realism and romance and with such deep spirituality and beauty? How does he know these things? I realised in the same moment that others must have felt the same about Hemingway. We have genius among us.

Jim Harrison has shaped my life as a writer

I first read Jim Harrison's poems almost thirty years ago in the Crawford County library in Grayling when I was at the beginning of a long teaching trail. Harrison saved my life that day and he has almost every day since. I return, almost daily, to his work which serves as a "shock tippet" against the "stuff" of the world. I don't think anyone comes close to his ability to chronicle the spirit of the natural world...the language he speaks comes from the most secret of places.

Unbelievable.... imagine hugging a bear.

Jim Harrison has stretched out his arms and hugged a bear, I know he has. His poem "My Friend the Bear" has been running through my head since I first read it 3 years ago. This is one of many poems describing the flora and fauna of michigan and driving home the delicate nature of our interaction with it. Picture Jim cheek to cheek with a bear... if you have read him and met him you will know it is possible.

Even better than the novels.

As much as I love Jim Harrison's novels, especially his most recent, The Road Home, his poetry is dearer to my heart. It's magnificent. There are only a handful of American poets who are dealing with real life as it is lived in our time,in a way that is accessible but still intellectually and emotionally challenging. Harrison is one of those poets. He's a powerhouse! Copper Canyon's beautiful collection is way overdue.