Earthborn

By: Carl Dennis

Narrated by: Carl Dennis

A timely new collection that sounds themes about the fragility of life and our duty to respect the planet in a time of climate change, from the Pulitzer Prize-winning poet whose work “begins in delight and ends in wisdom” (Carrie Fountain)

The work of Carl Dennis has won praise for its “integrity, its substance, and its seemingly effortless craft; and for its embodiment of passionate inquiry” (Times Literary Supplement). The title of his new collection, Earthborn, helps to point the way to its two central concerns: how to find meaning, as creatures of the earth, in lives that are short and frail and destined to be forgotten; and how, as stewards of the earth, to address the need to protect our home from ourselves, from the menace to life posed by our own species. The book succeeds in braiding together a recognition of our limits and of our responsibilities in ways that are deeply moving and revealing.

©2022 Carl Dennis (P)2022 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“A worthy addition to the impressive catalog of Carl Dennis’s poetry. This is a book that engages and enlarges its readers by making us more alert to possibility and by reminding us that praising—and poetry—is 'a useful calling / Even if no one is listening at the moment' . . . The wondering journeys in these poems—physical, intellectual, and spiritual—reveal Dennis’ capacious imagination and his wide-ranging thinking, gifts that are well-served by his style: seemingly effortless, brilliantly lineated, narrative, free-verse poems.” —The Colorado Review

“A rich exploration of our relationship to nature in a time of environmental instability . . . Dennis’ poems unfold at a relaxed pace, through long lines, considered and meditative, that accommodate a fullness of thought. As he examines both our lesser drives and finer desires, he holds out hope that we can be better humans and custodians of the planet, a sentiment that makes Earthborn a uniquely comforting volume.” —BookPage (starred review)

“In this quietly moving outing, Pulitzer Prize winner Dennis places human feelings under a microscope to reveal their significance . . . What begins with a comic moment turns into a profound discussion of spirituality and stewardship and humanity’s obligations to itself, the Earth, and God. Dennis grants reverence and crystalline attention to each moment; it is a joy to see the world through his perceptive eyes.” —Publishers Weekly

Beautiful Meditation on Life

I am a huge fan of Carl Dennis and was excited to see an audiobook for his work! The poems are not pretentious and left me thinking long after I listened. I have never heard him before, so the author reading was a treat. Highly recommend.