NH Poetry: The Long Marriage

Betsy Snider recommends The Long Marriage by Maxine Kumin.

"I've been reacquainting myself with one of our state treasures, Maxine Kumin, in her collection The Long Marriage (W.W. Norton, 2002).  The poems in this volume are as varied as Marianne Moore and The Joy of Cooking.  Kumin combines the discipline of her writing (where every word reverberates and none is redundant) with the spareness of a New England landscape.  What I love most about this collection is her commitment to living life and finding joy in every stone, every dog, every saint that she encounters. It's the perfect companion for mud season." --Betsy Snider

Betsy Snider is a retired attorney who lives on Crescent Lake in Acworth, NH. Her poems have been published in the Cold River Review, Black Magnolias Literary Journal, Lynx Magazine, The 2008 Poet's Guide to New Hampshire, the Anthology of New England Writers 2008 and Love Over 60: 100 Women Poets Over 60. When not swimming or canoeing, she writes poetry and volunteers as a CASA Guardian ad Litem for abused and neglected children. She is also a member of the Center for the Book Advisory Board.

This post is part of our celebration of National Poetry Month 2013 for which I asked New Hampshire poets and booksellers to recommend books of poetry by Granite State poets. These titles are generally available from local booksellers and may be held in public libraries as well.