Wild, as the title suggests, is a celebration of all that is wild and free. The tree root that overturns the sidewalk; the crane that fishes what would have been a good catch for someone out of the pond; the alert coyote, the ready owl, the artist who can only be moved by passion and the scientist who writes only when there is something to say — all of these and more are exalted.
The first section features poems about animals that are wild, poems that reveal the ingredients necessary to be wild, and poems that distinguish true wildness from its impostors. In one poem, Dolphin compares himself to a coyote, saying that just as a coyote slinks into a hole when wounded, so too he slinks into poetry — the place where he is able to heal.
The second section, Aphorisms, lists more than seven pages of small gems that guarantee to send any inquisitive mind off on a short (or possibly long) journey. The final section’s short stories examine wildness through characterization — characters looking at the physical and spiritual worlds to see what is of value and what is not, often finding answers in surprising places.
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Why this book matters
- A joyful, fierce celebration of wildness in all its forms: animal, human, artistic, and spiritual
- Three distinct sections — poems, aphorisms, and short stories — each approaching wildness from a different angle with equal precision and delight
- Aphorisms that send the mind on unexpected journeys, seven pages of gems that reward slow reading and return visits
- Poetry that heals by refusing to hide; honest, direct, and alive with the energy of a coyote slinking into its hole to recover
- A distinctive and essential volume from Johnny Dolphin one of Synergetic Press’s most original and enduring literary voices
