The Shape of Regret

Martin is a known and beloved American author. Once he made public Paul Laurence Dunbar's unpublished works, and now we have his own. Beneath the word, and moving beyond our world, Martin's moral convictions are messages beautifully distilled. Through the knowledge of classics and the fruits of our culture, he moves the dissonance of our daily life to harmony.-- (10/17/2019) A new book of poems by Martin is an event to celebrate. He is a poet of achieved wisdom and generous compassion who lives in history and is mindful of the present. These are poems distinguished by the freshness of their imagery and the seriousness of their reflections. May they find the readership they deserve.-- (07/22/2019) Beneath the reserved surface, the often quiet activity of Herbert Woodward Martin's poems is the 'excellent moment, ' he writes, 'when terror knocks and whispers: may I come in?' Crows, black wings, echoes of lynchings pass through these poems. They survive on a deep human love tinged with righteous anger, the desire to 'kick the shit out of any / enemy given the chance.' What prevails is determination and 'a teaching of how to stay close to the earth.' These are fiercely gentle poems, full of heart.-- (07/22/2019) Martin gives voice to public and private histories in The Shape of Regret. His observant eye and astute ear resonate in the way 'Tender snow / salute the empty trees, / the funeral crows, / swift swallows gliding / effortlessly on wings.'-- (07/22/2019) Here, as always, Martin is pitch-perfect-tuned in poems that map the human heart like sonar. Blow into this book's well-made songs with your own breath-and you'll hear the music of not only regret but delight, humor, reverence, and wonder. I am more alive after reading this book.-- (07/22/2019)

Herbert Woodward Martin is professor emeritus at University of Dayton, a performer (especially of Paul Laurence Dunbar's work), African American scholar, and author of nine books of poetry.