Praise for Barry Lee Swanson and The Road We Take

"The Road We Take is both evocative and relatable, a collection of poems that inspires the reader to reflect upon their own life-and to wish they could express themselves as eloquently as Barry Lee Swanson. Representing five decades of Swanson's life, this contemplative and life-affirming collection offers something for everyone."

-Kathleen Barber, author of Truth Be Told (now an Apple + TV series) and Follow Me

"Barry Swanson's selected poems, spanning over five decades of his life, succeed in revealing his gift to emerge meaning without shrouding it. His poems range from heartfelt observances of everyday life: 'Part of the old neighborhood is gone. Pulverized by a concrete ball, ' to his delight in describing the natural world: 'Brisk mornings, windshield freezes, suntans fade into past tense.' Some of his poems strike with a distrustful curtness-bloodshot eyes, a sail-less boat on an endless stream, the deaths of Dr. King and Robert Kennedy.

We find reflections about coming-of-age, the tragedy of war, insights about family, marriage, and meditations in memoriam of loved ones, including his restrained but poignant lament, appreciating his father, 'We played catch once-no Field of Dreams. And yet, you were, and still are, my hero.' The Road We Take is a deeply moving lyrical mosaic."

-Phillip Shabazz, author of When the Grass was Blue: Growing up in the South, Freestyle and Visitation, and Flames in the Fire: Poems

"From his dawning at 'The Age of Aquarius' to his 'Run to the Future, ' Barry Lee Swanson's brawny poetic memoir reminds us of days and deeds long gone along the road we take, or perhaps do not take. His heartfelt and soulful verses unravel across the page and thread their way through more than fifty years of living, loving, laughing, and dying. In the end, he lets us know that those who touched us most along the way dwell with us 'In Memoriam.'"

-Luther Kirk, author of Appalachian Woman and Child of Appalachia

"The Road We Take is a work of hope, grief, and triumph. I traveled with it, peeking in on the experiences of the poet's lifetime and in many ways, ended up encountering my own in return. Barry Lee Swanson's language is accessible and vivid. A joy to read."

-Cyn Kitchen, author of Ten Tongues and Broken Hallelujah

"The Road We Take is filled with poems that are 'confessional . . . indulgent, innocent . . . reflective . . . and sentimental-poems of love, loss, contemplation, and celebration.' Barry Lee Swanson's poems are foremost from his heart and reveal a personal and sincere life well lived, and as Robert Frost once said: 'And that has made all the difference.'"

-Glen Brown