Description
Book SynopsisStephen Kampa’s poems are witty and restless in their pursuit of an intelligent modern faith. They range from a four-line satire of office inspirational posters to a lengthy meditation on the silence of God.
Trade Review“These are poems of faith, but not easy or naïve faith. Theirs is a faith that must include the warning, ‘Your convictions / May not survive.’
Stephen Kampa’s poems edify; may his prayers be answered.” * author of First Fire, Then Birds: Obsessionals 1985–2010 *
“Kampa possesses a Byronic delight in and virtuosity with rhyme…. It's rather extraordinary that this is only his first book. It makes you joyful at his promise.” * The Hopkins Review *
“You could say that the whole book is about teleology. It's about what is the order of things, what is the evidence the world gives us, and the answer is a Christian one; it’s also messy and funny. It comes in a particular flavor, which is the flavor of Stephen Kampa, which reminds us of other people but also is only like itself, the poet himself…. I love this book.” * Books & Culture *
“Goodbye, plain style. Here is a poet of high style, who writes with the passion of Henry Vaughan and the wit of Lord Byron, the sheer virtuosity of James Merrill and Anthony Hecht and a lexicon to make W. H. Auden look up from his daily crosswords in Paradise.
The range of tone and subject is breathtaking.”
* author of Bone Fires: New and Selected Poems *
