The Salt Ecstasies

By James L White,

Book cover of The Salt Ecstasies

Book description

The powerful and influential last poems of an unsung master, now again available, with a new introduction by National Book Award winner Mark Doty

James L. White's The Salt Ecstasies―originally published in 1982, shortly after White's untimely death―has earned a reputation for its artful and explicit expression of love and…

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Why read it?

1 author picked The Salt Ecstasies as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

I knew Jim, so I’m biased, but he was a fine poet–one of the real ones, as another poet said of him.

He isn’t as well known as he should be. He writes simply, honestly, and beautifully. Some of his poems make me want to weep, no matter how many times I read them.

Instead of telling you about the book, I’ll get out of the way and quote from one poem:

“Sometimes I’m their first. / Sweet, sweet men. / I light candles, burn the best incense. / Make them think it’s some kind of temple / and it…

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