Where the Wind Comes From

Major and minor characters of the Bible get their say in these wonderful poems. Whether the speakers are divinely inspired or simply confessional, prophets or historians, victims or gossips, mere names like mustard seeds, they constantly reach beyond their own times to ours. Human experience transcends anachronism and humanity itself is the luminous secret we all share. We know, as Mary says in her poem, that we are all one. Richard Jackson reveals to us here that it helps to be reminded every so often. -Mark Jarman, author of The Heronry, Questions for Ecclesiastes, Unholy Sonnets

Richard Jackson has summoned our Biblical ancestors like bones from the dust, and given them breath to deliver awe-inspiring commentary on their own stunning encounters with faith. But beware. They have words for us too, and seek to take us to task for our dry and compassionless world of war. Jackson’s scintillating poetry, sparked by his hopeful imagination in the conjuring of these voices, shines light into the shadow-filled caves of our humanity and reminds us that we have found the way to life before and can do so again. Where the Wind Comes From is a tremendous accomplishment.

-Sophfronia Scott, author of The Seeker and the Monk: Everyday Conversations with Thomas Merton

I think he is either the god Hermes or a sparrow. He is certainly a messenger. And what he says is contained in a single word, although it comes out as amazement, anger, joy, sadness, in an astounding cascade of images, and a variety of tongues.

-Gerald Stern, Winner of the National Book Award