Muse in the Wells - (Contemporary American Poetry) by Wayne Pernu (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

In "Muse in the Wells," poet Wayne Pernu journeys through frozen landscapes, forgotten roads, restless spirits, and the fragile boundary between life and death. Rooted in the stark beauty of the North Country, these poems weave together myth, memory, solitude, faith, aging, loss, and the enduring search for meaning. From snow-covered forests and abandoned mining towns to wandering revenants, crows, lakes, storms, and moonlit roads, Pernu's poetry carries the atmosphere of old folklore while confronting deeply human questions. His voice is meditative yet haunting, reflective yet unafraid to stare directly into mortality and the unseen forces that shape existence. Steeped in natural imagery and spiritual undertones, "Muse in the Wells" is a collection for readers drawn to lyrical poetry, mythic landscapes, and contemplations of the human condition. These are poems that linger like winter wind through pine trees, stark and resonant.

Review Quotes

"This is poetry of profound depth--a labyrinth of the soul where hope struggles to renew itself. With impeccable rhyme and rhythm, Pernu proves that formal verse is not a relic of the past, but a vital scalpel for dissecting the present. Take his poem 'Yeats in Gales Creek':

In spite of the years that hold us apart

(a fathomless labyrinth hope can't renew)

a line you wrote still cuts to the heart.

This world covets what it most despises,

finding veracity in what is least true.

The vast constellations are fixed in the heavens

for pseudo-astrologers to misconstrue;

time lags while the same moon rises

Homer and Dante knew.

It is a book for those who believe poetry can still hold a mirror up to the heavens and find our own flawed reflection staring back."

- Nina Kossman