Poetry. "Sometimes an artist's work distills into its purest concentrate. Such is the case in Leonard Schwartz's magnificent new collection, EAR AND ETHOS. At the heart of these often witty poems is a fierce protest of 'the Occupation' ('Am I at home or in exile? All of us are living in Baghdad now' ['War Poem']), but there is also a tender, brilliant music: 'Born of a love with no past / a city speaks within us / in unexpected journeys, / wine-dark dictionaries / foaming with words and opacities' (these lines from the tour de force central long poem, 'Six Ways Two Places At Once'). In ruminating throughout the volume on Rumi, Schwartz offers a meeting ground. 'Blessed are they that mourn,' writes H.D., for it sharpens 'the inner perceptions.' This insight is so true of EAR AND ETHOS, which deftly, bravely steps into greatness"—Cynthia Hogue.

Author City: OLYMPIA, WA USA

Leonard Schwartz is the author of numerous books of poetry including, most recently, AT ELEMENT (Talisman House, Publishers, 2011), A MESSAGE BACK AND OTHER FURORS (Chax Press, 20008), The Library of Seven Readings (Ugly Duckling Presse, 2007), LANGUAGE AS RESPONSIBILITY (Tinfish Press, 2006), EAR AND ETHOS (Talisman House, Publishers, 2005), THE TOWER OF DIVERSE SHORES (Talisman House, Publishers, 2003), and WORDS BEFORE THE ARTICULATE: NEW AND SELECTED POEMS (Talisman House, Publishers, 1997). In addition he is the author of A Flicker at the Edge of Things: Essays Towards a Poetics (Spuyten Duyvil, 1998). He hosts and produces the radio program Cross Cultural Poetics and teaches at The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington.

Reviews and Other Links
author @ PennSound
Christine Pagnoulle @ Jacket