Grasshopper Dreams

From Kirkus Reviews... Amid the South’s lush landscape lies a world of stark contradictions—gentility and oppression, violence and faith. The South’s culture, with dialects and traditions that enrich daily life, leaves its imprint on all who call the region home. Through 39 poems, Boyd explores the mysteries of darkness and light that shaped his Southern relatives, who settled in Virginia in the 1600s and fled to Florida in the 1860s with the fall of their plantation. Grouping his poetry under the themes of “Southern Life,” “Wild Life,” and “Spirit Life,” the author reveals these elements to be deeply connected, representing the threads of his own odyssey. Opening with a glimpse at the travesty of slavery, Boyd examines the joys and sufferings of his family, childhood innocence, modern social values, troubled hearts, and the hope for salvation. But while unique facets of Southern life are spotlighted in the work, there is universal wisdom at its core, with verses in “A Proverb for Companionship” and “21 Beatitudes for the 21st Century” (“Treasured are the refugees, for they will be accepted into lands where their families can find freedom, safety, and nourishment”) that remind readers of their shared human experiences and blessings. Page after page, Boyd offers a compilation of evocative and graceful poetry. Drawing on various structures and lengths, the author’s free verse is easy to follow and filled with relatable messages for a modern audience. Even readers without a Southern connection will enjoy poems like “If I Had My Druthers”—a tribute to the region’s slang and the colloquialisms of Boyd’s beloved mother (“Sometimes, I declare, if things were crooked, they were just catawampus”). This love of close family ties is evident throughout his poetry, with the author’s grandmother and grandfather prominently featured (“Grandpa Roy smoked a pipe with a cloudy sigh of sweetness / Pipe smoke still kindles my fragrant memories of his mellow heart”). And while this affection is commingled with the struggle of accepting the world’s darkness, the work’s overall tone is hopeful. Concluding with a section on people’s relationships with God, Boyd stresses the everlasting light that guides individuals through confusion to the promise of unity. A beautifully crafted ode to the South and the redemptive power of faith.