Bandon Public Library

"The unusual voice encountered in Curses and Wishes carries a quiet, slightly elevated conversational tone, which flows from intimate secrets to wider social concerns. The poet has faith in economy and trusts in images to transfer knowledge that speech cannot. In Curses and Wishes the short, simple lines add up to a thoughtful book possessed with lyrical melancholy, a harmony of sadness and joy that sing: "May happiness be a wheel, a lit throne, spinning...

"In this remarkable anthology, introduced and edited by Ilya Kaminsky and Susan Harris, poetic visions from the twentieth century will be reinforced and in many ways revised. Here, alongside renowned masters, are internationally celebrated poets who have rarely, if ever, been translated into English."--Jacket.

The speaker in this extraordinary collection finds herself multiply dislocated: from her childhood in California, from her family's roots in Mexico, from a dying parent, from her prior self. The world is always in motion -- both toward and away from us--and it is also full of risk: from sharks unexpectedly lurking beneath estuarial rivers to the dangers of New York City, where, as Limon reminds us, even rats find themselves trapped by the garbage...

Since its inception in 1972, Copper Canyon Press has remained dedicated to publishing poetry from a wide range of styles. The Gift of Tongues is drawn from among more than 150 books and chap-books of poetry published by the Press. Features Sam Hamill's in-depth personal introduction about Copper Canyon's path and dedication to the poetry of many cultures, as well as an annotated bibliography.