The Faith of Fragile Things

The Faith of Fragile Things is a beautifully-crafted love letter to those the poet holds dear-from a tattooed daughter and a long-time wife, to the downy woodpecker dazed and crumpled on the porch after flying into a sliding glass door. Thank you, Kevin Shyne, for your keen eye, for your memories, and for this insightful collection of small, precious moments. With your words, they will live forever.

-Robin Stratton, author of Some Have Gone and Some Remain



This is a book for times when your world darkens, your senses are dulled, and everyone you care about is far away. Here are glimpses of marital disagreements with a dash of humor, the aches and triumphs of parenting, the brilliant violence of nature, and the faith that makes a fragile world stronger. These are poems to keep nearby.

-Marydale Stewart, author of Gently at Twilight



These intelligent, skillfully wrought poems touch on family, memory, nature, and daily life, with faith in all of them along with awareness of their fragility. Authentic and deftly written, with expert and unobtrusive rhymes and rhythms and a mix of formal and free-verse structures, these poems are like a leisurely drive through endlessly intriguing landscapes. As the poet writes: Listen. Follow the sound of singing.

-GF Boyer, editor of Clementine Unbound