‘The Way of the Earth: Poems’ by Matthew Shenoda is a collection of poems with some common themes.

With themes of the temporal and temporary, nature and culture are explored. Memory of loved ones and social injustices interweave with scenes of nature. “Time,” Shenoda says “never goes back but the imagination must.’

I feel like I would have benefitted from reading more than once, or perhaps taking the time to contemplate the work longer. There is a profoundness here that eluded me.

"I cannot speak to a healing steeped in fictional possibility but I can speak of a calculation laid bare by the entrails of history".

Short but sweet, concise yet insightful.

Thank you NetGalley for the Arc.

The perfect balance between deep and accessible, Shenoda’s poetry is a breathtaking reminder to be still and appreciate the world around us— and all that world’s constants and changes.

If you’re also the sort of person who a) likes their poetry intellectual without being esoteric to the point of pretentiousness, and b) are moved deeply by the natural world, then do not miss this collection. A perfect gift for any poetry or nature lover as we come up on this holiday season!

I enjoyed this collection. I found the wording to be poetic, while still being understandable. It is probably not for the more casual poetry reader, but you also don't have to be an expert to understand the author's purpose. I found myself highlighting lines throughout the book that stood out to me and thought the author made some excellent points about the state of America, and the ongoing climate crisis across the globe. Overall, an enjoyable collection.

This was a wonderful collection of poetry. The language was beautiful, and the use of imagery was incredible. I enjoyed reading these poems, and the words were calming. My only qualm was that the poems all seemed similar and blended together in my mind.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Northwestern University Press for this eARC!

I feel like the most "damned by faint praise" thing I could say about this book is what I'm about to say about it: I remember that I thought it was nice, but I don't remember reading it, and I don't remember anything about it.

The Way of the Earth is the fourth collection from award-winning poet Matthew Shenoda. In this, his most personal collection to date, he explores the temporal and fleeting nature of human life and the earth we inhabit. Through ruminations on the intersections of culture and ecology, the death of loved ones, and the growing inequities in our midst, Shenoda explores what it means to be a person both grounded to the earth and with a yearning beyond it. Memories of landscapes and histories echo throughout the sensations of the present: the sight of egrets wading in the marshes, the smell of the ocean, a child’s hand nestled in a warm palm. “Time never goes back,” Shenoda writes, “but the imagination must.”
Advance Praise
“These poems meditate on fragments of memory that make up life. A door is cracked, a window, letting in the whole of the world where ‘all the ways of knowing have never added up to a single whole. A...

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I'm always honoured to receive advance copies of any book, but especially poetry because it speaks so deeply from the soul. I felt that this is true of Matthew Shenoda's The Way of the Earth. While some of the poems may not have been entirely to my taste, I felt that they were beautifully expressive. Thank you!

Meditative is the perfect word to summarise this short poetry collection.

Exploring our ever changing environment, the main take aways I got were the importance of being still and just immersing yourself in your surroundings.

These poems need to be taken Slowly, don't speed through this collection, take your time and let the words sink down into your skin.

The author has a way with words and I'll definitely keep an eye out for more of their work in the future.

Thank you NetGalley and Northwesterly University Press for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

The Way of the Earth by Matthew Shenoda is beautiful from the inside out! Shenoda’s words flow so beautifully. These poems served as reminders to be still in the moment, to feel all of our emotions, to enjoy all of earth’s beauty, and that we must take care of each other and our planet while we are here. Thank you to Netgalley, Northwestern University Press, and Matthew Shenoda for the opportunity to read this prior to publishing.

“There is a space between knowing and not knowing that defines each of our lives.”

These are the kind of poems that you don't just read once and rush to the next page, you want to read through them a few times, sinking into the depth and meaning of them. There are warm poems in this collection exploring the fleeting and mysterious yet beautiful nature of life; rich descriptions of landscapes and wildlife and everyday scenes that form like memories in the mind's eye. And there are jarring, heartfelt poems that look at the themes of loss and crisis. Shenoda's writing style is rich and emotive, whilst also feeling quiet and thoughtful.

I also really like the cover of this edition, it's really beautiful and would look good on any shelf.