The Rag and Bone Shop of the Heart
March 30, 2004
I have to say that I don’t agree with, or perhaps understand, many aspects and details of the men’s movement. Face to face with some of the practitioners, I have this vague idea I am being sold something I really don’t need or want to buy. I tried mightily to read and enjoy Iron John, but simply couldn’t get all the way through it. I guess on some level I am not a mythopoetic kind of guy.
But then this I found a companion to Iron John, this great anthology of poetry, The Rag and Bone Shop of the Heart, and I have been reading it since. This was 10 years ago. I am exaggerating of course, but only a little. This book is a constant in my reading habits. I refer to it again and again, and have recommended it (and purchased it) for more friends than any other book I know.
Simply, this is a wonderful anthology of poetry, organized thematically, for men. Many of the individual poems are brilliant, and the overall organization is intelligent and, at times, profound. As I have grappled with marriage, fatherhood, aging parents—all the trappings of midlife—this book has been a constant source of wisdom and comfort for me. Do a kind thing for yourself or for a thoughtful man in your life and buy this book.
Posted by Bill Trippe at March 30, 2004 1:34 PM
