What the Raven Said
AUTHOR
Robert Alexander
A chronicle of both interior and exterior landscapes and how they reflect each other, this contemplative collection of prose poems combines rich nature description reminiscent of Mary Oliver and William Stafford with the sensibilities of Thoreau (AbeBooks). Drawing on his deep connection to Michigan's Upper Peninsula, poet and editor Robert Alexander captures the essence of northern wilderness—simple, beautiful, and profound. Each narrative piece invites readers into moments of quiet observation and reflection, where the natural world becomes a mirror for inner experience. Alexander, who edits the Marie Alexander Poetry Series at White Pine Press, crafts pointed and poignant prose that makes this collection a perfect companion for solitary contemplation, revealing the wisdom found in paying close attention to the places we inhabit.
Reviews
"Robert Alexander has long been in my 'top ten' living poets. There is a decided uniqueness in Alexander's work that puts him in that rare category of a memorable poet."
—Jim Harrison
"I think there is an Emersonian sensibility in his tightly written prose poems. If there is such a thing as a Midwestern prose poem, Alexander surely invented it, merging natural imagery and personal reflection, transforming what could have been mere picturism into profundity."
—Peter Johnson
Robert Alexander (1949 - 2023) received his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee, and worked for many years as a freelance editor. From 1993 to 2001, he was a contributing editor at New Rivers Press, serving for the final two years as New Rivers’ creative director. Alexander is the founding editor of the Marie Alexander Poetry Series at White Pine Press. He authored several collections of prose poetry and two historical books.