Some Bodies in the Grief Bed

Rick Benjamin's latest book, "Some Bodies in the Grief Bed," explores the intersection of the human and non-human in the context of Earth's ecology. The poem offers equal parts of loss, ecstasy, and joy, reminding us to hold each moment and be mindful of what it is made of.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 120 pages
Publication date: 29 April 2021
Publisher: Homebound Publications

Some Bodies in the Grief Bed, Rick Benjamin's most recent work, seeks to find the intersection of the human and the non-human in the context of the earth's ecology.  A poem about migrations, butterflies, and other creatures that appear in the life of a family may be followed by another, and this poet is constantly attempting to confront the divide between them.  He is also extremely interested in every aspect of either: giraffes eating the topmost leaves and pods of an Acacia tree; or the way the sound of percussive roofs in the rain brings up memories a boy may have thought he had buried.  These are presented as equal parts of one book, planets orbiting around the same sun. As the title implies, Some Bodies in the Grief Bed revolves around loss, but also those moments of ecstasy and joy that are associated with it.  As Martín suggests, such grief is also, and always, just another opportunity to praise everything and everyone we've been fortunate enough to hold and have in this world without keeping.  This book reminds us both to hold each moment and to be more mindful of what it's made (out) of—the organic, impermanent nature of our "passing love" (Langston Hughes) on this planet.

Weight: 182g
Dimension: 154 x 228 x 11 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781953340047