Blind Pumper at the Well

Synopsis

Blind Pumper at the Well, Poems from My Eightieth Year, evokes my "primitive" American Indian childhood and young manhood, and it evokes my awareness of modern life, my experience of war and the experience of others. The book is an affirmation of a peaceful life and a life lived in harmony with Nature. It evokes love, that between men and women and that among all human beings. It evokes my awareness of my 80 years of life and my coming death.

Praise for this Book

‘Ralph Salisbury has established himself over a long and productive career as a voice of sanity in a world riven by war, racism, and despair. His poems teach us, among other important lessons, the constant need for compassion. We are grateful for his new poems in Blind Pumper at the Well.’ —John Witte, author of The Hurtling and Second Nature, and editor of Northwest Review

‘Ralph Salisbury’s Blind Pumper at the Well bears witness to human suffering and to the horrors of war. The poems are generous and kind. Salisbury celebrates the beauty inherent in family, the mysteries of loss, the sadness of the human condition, and through scrupulous reflection, arrives whole, wise, and in the moment. Blind Pumper at the Well is a gift.’ —Rodger Moody, Editor, Silverfish Review Press

‘Ralph Salisbury’s poems in this latest volume are witness to his genius for words, witness to his reverence for language, and they show his deep and abiding concern for the human loss in wars and the rumors of war. As an artist, Salisbury is at his best here: time and time again the force of his words is framed in sturdy periodical sentences that hit you smack between the eyes with their crescendoing, image-packed truth.’ —Jim Barnes, author of Visiting Picasso, and editor Chariton Review

‘It’s great to see the energy of an 80-year-old poet at work, in Ralph Salisbury’s Blind Pumper at the Well. Mixing WWII memories with his observations of the peaceful world outside his study windows, these poems celebrate longevity and unflagging concern for peace.’ —Diane Wakoski, author of Emerald Ice: Selected Poems 1962-1987 and The Butcher’s Apron: New & Selected Poems

Praise for Previous Work

‘This is a poet dedicated to keeping his heritage alive. His book deserves a broad audience.’ —Maxine Kumin

‘His economy of language, his poet's ear, and his understanding of the contemporary Cherokee experience are clearly shown in this interesting collection.’ —Joseph Bruchac

‘Nature in Ralph Salisbury's conception is a Presence to be addressed. I was drawn especially to such poems as ‘Oil Spill Spreading,’ ‘Family Task, 4th Year,’ and ‘This Is My Death Dream.’ This is a poet dedicated to keeping his heritage alive.’ —Maxine Kumin