The Salty River Bleeds by Stephen Page (2019). Available on Amazon.com.
Stephen Page is an award-winning author whose work has appeared in numerous publications. In this unique collection, he uses poetry and poetic prose to create a realistic portrait of life on an Argentinian ranch. The ranch, its owners, and caretakers, are all fictitious; but Stephen writes with authenticity and conviction. For him, the story is real, from the ambivalent feelings of the owner about leaving the city and isolating out in the countryside; to the lazy, conniving employees; to dealing with bad hombres like cattle rustlers and horse thieves; to birthing calves, riding horses, and watching the crops grow. He expresses concerns about rain and drought; the effects of pesticides on the land; the annoying insects; mechanical issues; and constant repairs on the ranch. The owner’s frustration comes through loud and clear. Life is difficult. But it’s the raw beauty of nature that keeps him going. He has his family to provide for and a loving wife to lean on. In the end, the struggles seem to be all worthwhile.
Stephen’s style is eloquent and simple:
“The tree frogs called the rain last night,
but the rain did not answer.
The intermittent croaking, about
every hour or so, was followed by
a gust of wind and the scent
of water, but no sprinkle, no pour.”
~
“When I am in the city,
I remember why I escape
To the ranch. When I am
On the ranch, I remember why
I want to live in the city.”
(Photo by Tyler Nix on Unsplash) Milkshakes and Chilidogs and Other Food Poems by Bartholomew Barker (2017). Available on Amazon.com. Bartholomew is one of the organizers of Living Poetry in North Carolina. Since he is also a food and wine aficionado, it is not surprising that he wrote a poetry book about food. What […]
Stephen Page listens to talented poets who were published by The Wise Owl, then reads a couple of poems of his own, one published in The Wise Owl, and one that was published in The San Diego Poetry Annual and later printed in Page’s 3rd book, “A Ranch Bordering the Salty River.” Thank you Racha, Lisa, and the Finishing Line Press crew! (https://www.thewiseowl.art) (https://sandiegopoetryannual.com) (https://www.finishinglinepress.com)
Sanaë Lemoine is the author of The Margot Affair and a 2022 National Endowment for the Arts Creative Writing Fellow. Born in Paris to a Japanese mother and French father, she was raised in France and Australia. She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania and her MFA in fiction at Columbia University. She lives in Brooklyn. Her website is here: https://www.sanaelemoine.com
“From this month, psychiatrists in one of the city’s largest hospitals have been able to offer patients ‘museum prescriptions’, a free visit with a few friends or family members to discover one or more of Brussels’s cultural institutions” as treatment for depression, anxiety, or stress. – The Guardian
To make Beautiful surroundings
Stephen Page 
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