Kim Allen Libri

A unique voice in American poetry evocative of Han Shan’s Zen verses, Pablo Neruda’s Book of Questions , and the writings of Jack Kerouac.What a long conversationwe never had!All those rivers?we never crossed together.You so busy with your own life,I so busy with mine.Dick Allen, one of the founders of the Expansive Poetry movement, has won the Robert Frost Prize, the Hart Crane Poetry Prize, and the Pushcart Prize—among others. His work has been anthologized five times in the Best American Poetry volumes, and has appeared in The New Yorker , The Atlantic Monthly , Tricycle , The Buddhist Poetry Review , and The American Poetry Review , as well as numerous other publications. He’s a former fellow of the National Endowment for the Arts, and a former Poet Laureate for the state of Connecticut, where he lives and writes.

The story follows Janette Walsh, an orphan who finds solace in a loving foster family. While working at their café, she meets Richard Pilman, and their friendship deepens into a romance filled with dreams of a shared future. As Janette discovers she is expecting, Richard is called to war, leaving her to navigate the challenges of impending motherhood alone, holding onto his promise to return. The narrative explores themes of love, loss, and resilience against the backdrop of war.

Emphasizing the theme of individuality, this book highlights that every person is uniquely created in God's image, as supported by Bible verses. It encourages readers to embrace their uniqueness and love themselves as God loves them, reinforcing the idea that diversity is intentional and beautiful.

Explores how young people think about their futures under austerity. Based on an interdisciplinary study, this book offers fresh insights into contemporary youth aspirations and inequalities. It helps us to understand young people's transitions into adulthood at a time of socio-economic 'crisis'.