In this Book
- Blues for Bill
- Book
- 2005
- Published by: The University of Akron Press
- Series: Akron Series in Poetry
summary
Blues for Bill was born out of the desire to perpetuate the memory of our dear friend and teacher, Bill Matthews. Bill’s work will last without our help, of course, but what of our memories of Bill himself? This collection of poems ensures that the world will remember his graciousness, intelligence, knowledge, style, good humor, capacity for friendship, immense talent and wit. It’s Bill himself this anthology memorializes, the character and soul of this most unique man. The poems included were written by people who knew Bill in a variety of ways, under myriad circumstances: as friend, both old and new; as mentor and teacher; as colleague; as father. The book’s introduction was penned by Bill’s long-time friend, Russell Banks. Many of the contributors’ names will be familiar, such as Sharon Olds, Stanley Plumly, Dave Smith, Henry Taylor, David Wojahn, Susan Wood, and Baron Wormser; others are perhaps not as well known, but their poems are remarkable, true testaments to Bill.
Table of Contents
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- William Matthews
- pp. xv-xvi
- Things My Father Passed Down to Me and My Brother
- pp. xvii-xviii
- Poems
- Bill Matthews
- p. 7
- Remembering Bill Matthews
- pp. 8-9
- Blues, for Bill
- pp. 10-11
- Before You
- p. 15
- Matthews in Smoke
- pp. 16-17
- Inspiration
- p. 18
- Untitled: For Bill Matthews
- pp. 19-20
- The Last Time
- p. 21
- The Eternal Light of Talk
- pp. 22-23
- Magic Lantern
- p. 25
- The Poet Speaks of Italy
- pp. 26-27
- Reincarnation of a Lovebird
- pp. 30-31
- Last Class
- pp. 32-33
- Nature Poetry
- p. 35
- My Blue Heaven
- pp. 36-37
- Writers’ Conference
- pp. 40-41
- Over a Long Distance
- p. 42
- Buying Wine
- pp. 43-44
- In Memory of William Matthews
- pp. 48-49
- Matthews Ah Um
- pp. 50-51
- We Never Shot Baskets Together
- pp. 58-59
- Open to Everything
- pp. 60-61
- Coming Down in Ohio
- pp. 62-63
- For William Matthews
- pp. 64-65
- Ode to Bill’s Vocabulary, 1997
- pp. 66-67
- Bill Matthews, 1983
- pp. 69-70
- Elegy for Matthews
- pp. 71-72
- On the “Island of the Old Women”
- pp. 73-74
- Scrabble With Matthews
- pp. 75-76
- In Cortona, Thinking of Bill
- pp. 77-79
- Melancholy Baby
- pp. 80-81
- Interview
- An Interview with William Matthews
- pp. 85-117
- Contributors
- pp. 121-128
- Acknowledgments
- pp. 129-132
- Index of Poets and Titles
- pp. 133-134
Additional Information
ISBN
9781935603825
Related ISBN(s)
9781931968249
MARC Record
OCLC
607595714
Pages
152
Launched on MUSE
2012-01-11
Language
English
Open Access
No