The Directions to Blue Willow: Out-Takes & Repairs

By Geoff Peterson

A Late Offering

But today is different.
I recognize I can’t go on
doing this alone.

Today he will need God. That’s the man on his knees, praying to something or someone as vast as the dark and as quiet as the heat coming on. It’s what’s left when time fades to a stop, and words have all fallen from the trees.
______________________________

Reader Comments:

Peterson’s new offering, The Directions to Blue Willow, is a compelling, powerful, and at times exquisite testament to the life of the spirit. Each poem is precisely at the heart of a man searching his soul for a way home.
—Sharon Butler, l’aluna di Abril

The poems in Peterson’s latest are among the man’s best. Here he returns to a recurring theme: At what point am I acceptable before God? But now as he ages, the poems are lean and simple, and the search made clear.
—Andy Vinca,
poet-proprietor, Poets’ Warehouse

I can’t shake the image of Masaccio’s fresco of the Holy Trinity. At the base a skeleton lies upon a sarcophagus beneath the inscription: I was what you are, and what I am you shall become.

“Every book is a confession,” says the poet, and we the priests ready to offer absolution or exact an appropriate penance. But soon we note that each poem is a bead on the rosary of his life, and there has been penance aplenty. Perhaps the birds that visit carry the desired pardon, or his trips to Blue Willow may provide moments of peace. With each offering he extends his naked hand and we are left to wonder who will answer.

—Barbara D. Crone, artist & poet

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Mar 2, 2023
• ISBN: 9798823002370

Geoff Peterson

Born just after World War II, Peterson inherited his mother's nervous system and went on to memorize and perform poetry in a lyric vein for family and card parties. Raised Catholic, the boy learned the value of dreams, visions, and the soothing aspects of prayer in unison. He later earned degrees in Literature and Writing at Eastern Washington University, and served as poetry editor for Willow Springs Magazine. With the publication of his first novel in 1989, Peterson turned his back on mainstream publishing and has not looked back. Since 2007 he has published nearly thirty books of poetry and fiction. He lives in the Southwest and still gets around.

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© 2023 geoff peterson. All rights reserved.

Cover art: Jackie Goldman, 2022.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 3/02/2023

ISBN: 979-8-8230-0238-7 (sc)

ISBN: 979-8-8230-0237-0 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2023903892

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Scripture quotations marked KJV are from the Holy Bible, King James Version (Authorized Version). First published in 1611. Quoted from the KJV Classic Reference Bible, Copyright © 1983 by The Zondervan Corporation.

Contents

Author’s Note

How It Is

At the Door

Crossing

Hummingbird Hymns

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

Nerves

Cloud-Watch

Civita di Bagnoregio

The Comfort of Recited Prayers

The Faithful

Quotes

The Dream

Night Visitor

Scripture

Pilgrimage

Prophecy

The Map of Blue Willow

La Vita Nervosa

After the Storm

Daily News

Doors

Chair of Forgetfulness

Sitting, 5 a.m.

Soon. Very Soon.

All Is Space

Expecting Rain

The Stairs Going Down

World Without End

Night Vigil

Lives of the Saints

Praktokos

Objects, Ourselves

Leftovers

The Work

Cities of the Night Sky

Cross Town

Low Bottom

The Masters

Death Valley

Selah

Homeward

The Mile Track

Prayer for the Dead

Asuko’s Bath

Moonrise

Sabbath

Doves

Breathless

The Punt

Ministry of the Night

Homily

Flashback

Nothin’ Special

Vocation

Nameless

Prodigal Son

Orphan

Touch Therapy

Defective

The Text Itself

Generation

Radio Rosary

Sleepwalk

The Difference

Signs

Photo-Op

Hunter’s Moon

Last Supper

A Huge Black Bird

Morning Swim

Monarchs

Night Owl

Litter

Finches

Lauds

My Mother’s Soul

Westbound

Sonoita

Love Poem

The Habit

Vespers

Road Trip

Cursed

Gifted/Talented

Blue Willow

Upper Room

Report to M

The Train Has Left

In Love

It Was Today

Curriculum

Song of Blue Willow

Static

So Much at Once

Sonora

Lightning

Night Flight

Little Things

Eucharist

Horrible Haircut

Self-Portrait

Media

Out-takes (1)

Out-takes (2)

Out-takes (3)

Out-takes (4)

Gethsemane

Road Work

My Angel

Consultants

The Final Turn