An Honest Day's Ode

An Honest Day's Ode is the second in a trilogy of books that Nathan promised, and is dedicating to, his daughter Sierra. An Honest Day's Prayer was the first, and An Honest Day's Confession will soon follow. The series is intended to be an encouragement to her while still being honest about the state of the world in these times of political unrest, cultural uncertainty, and the government's denial about the health of the planet.

An Honest Day's Ode is unique in that each poem begins with some form or version of "Thank you..." "Grant us..." "Bless, Help, or Forgive us..." while, at the same time never mentioning the name of any god or supernatural entity. Brown is speaking to the cosmos here--or, whatever "being" the reader would like to invoke. He also laid down the rule of "no blue language." A condition that does not come naturally to him.

From cheese to trees, to frogs, dogs, and crazy neighbors, this book covers a beautiful spectrum of prayers and praises to the everyday things of everyday life. But it also does it with Nathan Brown's unique vision and angle on the world that Naomi Shihab Nye once referred to as "a tilted long-ranging eye that sees the next bend in the road, even when he's standing right here, firmly planted."