The work of Jay Erickson

There are so many things in this world we say we could live without. If you asked most of us here in Pawling just over a month ago we would have said we could live without ever seeing snow again. But of course next winter when we have our first snowfall we will all look outside and see the beauty in winter all over again.

Poetry is very similar to snow. The longer you are away from it the more it strikes you when it returns. April is National Poetry Month and it is the only time of the year that I reach for poetry on the shelf. This is the time of year when teachers recite the words of poets like Whitman, Millay, or Dickinson. But great poetry does not have to be written by those we only think of as poets. Sometimes the poetry that speaks to us is written by a friend or neighbor; a person who shares in our community.

This month we are celebrating the work of Jay Erickson, who has just published his first volume of poetry titled Bloom. Most of Jay’s poems are first person observations on mortality and nature. Bloom is a wonderful contribution to the genre of American naturalist poetry. Before publishing his contribution to literature he helped shape our community through his participation on the town planning board and more recently, the Pawling Farmer’s Market. Jay studied poetry in college and began writing again after being diagnosed with cancer. Proceeds from each sale of Bloom support rare cancer research.

Jay Erickson will be autographing copies at The Book Cove on April 25 starting at 11am. We will be accepting pre-orders all month and encourage everyone to join us for what is to be the literary event of the season.

-Max Weber