Winter Constellations

Richard Blessing

David Wagoner states in the introduction to this book, “Richard Blessing is a very gifted, deeply thoughtful, and increasingly skillful poet whose most apparent qualities are a firm control of diction, a rare ability to sing, a sense of humor which he sustains even in front of mirrors, and a persuasive amiability of tone and voice.”

A sample poem from the book

from “Lines for Her Leaving”

Say she leaves you.

A thousand days and pain

is second-hand,

sentimental almost,

a father’s grieving

for a child’s lost ball.

Next the nostalgias,

the house where you grew up,

that sort of thing,

sadnesses sweet as birds

filling November’s empty trees.

One day you’ll wake up peaceful,

like a tiny village

with a famous cemetery.

It is winter. The tourists

have all gone home.

When you learn the language

you will find

there is no word there

that says her name.