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Merge with the River

by Yosemite poet James downs

Cover art by Yosemite Artist Penny Otwell

Nominated for the Before Columbus Foundation, American Book Awards 2004

Published by Poetic Matrix Press
102 pages, price $14.00
ISBN 0-9714003-2-6

Available at Amazon.com

Description
The Book

If you can find philosophy in rivers and trees, rocks and beasts James has done so. Here are the roots of natural philosophy of which sages old and new have spoken. First it is observed and then it is gotten up close to, soon the words come and they are the fine blending of that world out there and the poet's voice. But there are times when the blending is so complete that the two become one. James has taken us here. We go with him on the journey and we nod our heads along with him as nature gives up her philosophy when we give up ourselves.

"James touches something at once personal and yet with universal depth and appeal. His writing evokes a sense of his place in Yosemite and the world."
— Ed McCormick, photographer

"These poems will inspire anyone who lives to have a connection with the natural world. A truly wonderful poetic work"
— Ed Whittle, musician

"‘Take a short sweet walk' with poet James Downs. Come sit with him, in his forests, by his rivers. Find the simple truths that connect to all."
— Jo Maiorano, poet

James Downs

James Downs lives and works in Yosemite National Park, California. A native Texan, James moved to the golden state in 1995 and happily calls himself a "permanent Californian." James produces a twice yearly on-stage writer's night, WORDS. James has produced a number of handwritten chapbooks and Where Manzanita in 2000 for Poetic Matrix Press In his spare time James reads copiously, roots for his sports teams loudly, participates in as many poetry readings as possible and hikes all over Yosemite.

Reviews

Reviewed by Paul Dolinsky, The Golden Lantern
Reviewed in PoetsWest by Joe Zaccardi

From Merge with the river:

Without falling	Bait
Upper vistas granitic rock outcropping sit and let my mind soar it flies along as the river winds as the river winds around i can see below the waters flow alpine willow branches bend down to the edges on the horizon crags and sky touch i can sail silently let my mind be part of it all from this high up i float with the sense it all fits together a perfect puzzle it turns this way then that bending through a sun coming up we all want to fly in this life without falling	Two fishermen flipping lines out over water over and over again making that filament sing making fake fisherflies alight and jerk them back again alight and jerk alight and jerk lightly flitting surfaces with tempting allures and the fish see them it must be dinnertime and their sure shimmering bellies are empty and along come fisherfellows with talk of food "oh don't go for them" i say "it's only these fakes these cons these flibbetegibbets" but who am i to speak? how many times have i looked up at radiant surfaces seen something with such allure when i was hungry or just plain bored and bitten down hard taking the bait hook line and sinker?

Without falling

Bait

Upper vistas
granitic rock outcropping
sit and let my mind

soar it flies along
as the river winds
as the river winds around

i can see below
the waters flow
alpine willow branches bend

down to the edges on
the horizon crags
and sky touch i can

sail silently
let my mind be
part of it all from

this high up i float
with the sense it all
fits together a perfect puzzle

it turns
this way then
that bending through

a sun coming up
we all want to fly
in this life without falling

Two fishermen flipping lines
out over water over
and over again making that

filament sing making fake
fisherflies alight
and jerk them back again

alight and jerk alight and jerk
lightly flitting surfaces
with tempting allures

and the fish see them it must be
dinnertime and their sure
shimmering bellies are empty and

along come fisherfellows with
talk of food "oh
don't go for them" i say

"it's only these fakes
these cons these flibbetegibbets"
but who am i to speak?

how many times have i looked
up at radiant surfaces
seen something with such allure
when

i was hungry or just plain bored
and bitten down hard taking
the bait hook line and sinker?

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