Welcome to Litsy!

There is some terrific humor in this small work, which is a mix of poetry & prose. The best is in a sort of addendum with “Nine Rules for the Black Birder”, among other lists.

I absolutely adored Lanham‘s The Home Place. This piece fell short of that, but still I appreciated the honesty and vulnerability of the writing.

I added this to my TBR after seeing the author speak at #TXBookFest a couple years ago. I don‘t read poetry very often, as I often don‘t enjoy it and it can make my mind wander a lot.

There were parts of this I really liked. As a backyard birdwatcher, I know a lot of the birds listed here. I enjoyed the descriptions of birding environments, and the addition of the author‘s experiences bird watching as a black man are important to hear.

😜 Truth!

The upside of Zoom is not having to travel to meetings.

From the selection titled Hard Pan Life.

This made me grin. Johnny refers to James Audubon. 😏

From the poem entitled Octoroon Warbler.

I‘m so excited about this book of poetry and prose because I loved Lanham‘s The Home Place.

Thanks to @LauraBeth for posting it!

I picked this book up because I loved the cover and it ended up blowing me away. This is a delightful read if you love nature writing.

“…I forgot all the imperfections when the wood
thrush returned and the notes drifted
through me
it slung its song straight into my heart the harmony
it made with itself
hung onto heaven pierced my
soul brought back love
from a place I‘d never known”

Thank you Harper @CoffeeNBooks for Sparrow Envy! I heard the author read at TX Book Fest last fall and I look forward to reading his book.

@Pogue thanks for Howl‘s Moving Castle! This is one I‘ve been meaning to read for years. I‘ve had so many friends tell me I should read it.

Also pictured: a Bernie plant-stake from my sister 🧡, and a Book People gift card from my husband 💙.

Thank you also to everyone who sent cards and wishes on Litsy💕.

I listened to J. Drew Lanham on the @onbeing podcast and then immediately purchased Sparrow Envy from @hubcitywriters - he writes about birds, mostly poems but some other forms including a few lists. It's meditative at times, with protest and reinvention in other moments. I got to the end and started again. I can't quite express how a little poem about a bird can be such an uplift.

Discussed on an upcoming episode with @Conservio