"I Follow in the Dust She Raises" is a collection of deeply personal poems born from a life sharply observed. Martin takes readers from the mountains of the West to the shores of Alaska, as she delves into the rippling depth of childhood experiences, tracks the moments that change a life, and settles into the fine grooves of age. Exploring the ties of family and grief, Martin's unflinching poetry ripples with moments of extraordinary beauty plucked from what seem like ordinary lives.
About the Author
Linda Martin lives in Homer, Alaska, where she and her husband own and operate a glass shop.
Reviews
"Mother, father, brother, sister, husband, daughter, son populate this book. But these relationships, past or present, are not static. As they move in time and place – Montana, Idaho, Manhattan, Alaska – the poems map an inner geography, spaces of loss and acceptance, memory and survival. They are stepping stones through a life only as ordinary as the truth of art. Martin's poems belie their artfulness almost with the ease of conversation; they ask for little but give much. Few poets can trace an itinerary of the heart with such distinctive grace and clarity" – Stan Sanvel Rubin, author of "There. Here. and Hidden Sequel"
"These are poems of a humane poet who has made communion with our great ancient stories: when she sweeps away loss, she discovers wonder, when she wipes away tears, she discovers play, and when she faces difficult deaths, she reminds us that we all must face our lives even when they skim 'lightly on the tide, white, fine as baby hair'. This is a splendid book of fire and desire" – David Biespiel, author of "The Book of Men and Women" and "A Thousand Faces"
