POETRY FROM PARADISE VALLEY

POETRY FROM PARADISE VALLEY
Click Image to Visit the Pecan Grove Press Web Page for Poetry from Paradise Valley

POETRY FROM PARADISE VALLEY web page

Poetry From Paradise Valley

Pecan Grove Press has released an anthology of poems, a sampling of works published in Valparaiso Poetry Review during its first decade, from the original 1999-2000 volume to the 2009-2010 volume.


Poetry from Paradise Valley includes a stellar roster of 50 poets. Among the contributors are a former Poet Laureate of the United States, a winner of the Griffin International Prize, two Pulitzer Prize winners, two National Book Award winners, two National Book Critics Circle winners, six finalists for the National Book Award, four finalists for the National Book Critics Circle Award, two finalists for the Pulitzer Prize, and a few dozen recipients of other honors, such as fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, etc.

Readers are encouraged to visit the Poetry from Paradise Valley page at the publisher's web site, where ordering information about the book can be found.

Best Books of Indiana 2011: Finalist. Judges' Citation: "Poetry from Paradise Valley is an excellent anthology that features world-class poetry, including the work of many artists from the Midwest, such as Jared Carter, Annie Finch, David Baker, and Allison Joseph. It’s an eclectic and always interesting collection where poems on similar themes flow into each other. It showcases the highest caliber of U. S. poetry."
—Indiana Center for the Book, Indiana State Library

Friday, July 3, 2009

Bruce Springsteen sings Bob Dylan's "Chimes of Freedom" in East Berlin




In the city’s melted furnace, unexpectedly we watched

With faces hidden while the walls were tightening . . .
And we gazed upon the chimes of freedom flashing.

On this Independence Day weekend, the above video appears to offer an appropriate blend of political poignancy and human celebration of a need for freedom: Bruce Springsteen sings Bob Dylan’s “Chimes of Freedom” at a concert in East Berlin during July of 1988, a year before the Berlin Wall crumbled twenty years ago in November of 1989.

As the camera pans a crowd of nearly 200,000 East Berlin citizens dancing, clapping, and chanting along with this iconic American song, one can feel the energy and desire for freedom that soon would translate into news clips of individuals sitting atop the Berlin Wall with chisels, dismantling the symbol of Communism and the Iron Curtain that stood for decades, where the years of Cold War global conflict had been framed by John Kennedy and Ronald Reagan making famous statements declaring their allegiance with the people of Berlin.

Indeed, the images of young folks opening the barrier between East and West piece by piece remain among the most exciting ever witnessed on television, as their courageous acts indicated a close to the Cold War was at hand. Today, my son possesses a piece of the Berlin Wall, which continues to exist as a concrete reminder of the value of freedom. Obviously, at the time those audience members could not know how near they were to liberation; however, as one looks back with the knowledge of subsequent events, the concert footage seems even more moving, even more suitable for watching on Independence Day.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

A great selection of one of America's modern day poets singing the words of another American modern day poet. The pupil pays homage to the master with a great rendition of a passive, yet powerful song of patriotism. I'm not sure if there is a better combination than that of the imagery of Dylan and the passion of Springsteen.

John - New Jersey