From the Mountain, from the Valley: New and Collected Poems
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2002 Appalachian Writers Association Book of the Year James Still first achieved national recognition in the 1930s as a poet. Although he is better known today as a writer of fiction, it is his poetry that many of his essential images, such as the "mighty river of earth," first found expression. Yet much of his poetry remains out of print or difficult to find. From the Mountain, From the Valley collects all of Still's poems, including several never before published, and corrects editorial mistakes that crept into previous collections. The poems are presented in chronological order, allowing the reader to trace the evolution of Still's voice. Throughout, his language is fresh and vigorous and his insight profound. His respect for people and place never sounds sentimental or dated. Ted Olson's introduction recounts Still's early literary career and explores the poetic origins of his acclaimed lyrical prose. Still himself has contributed the illuminating autobiographical essay "A Man Singing to Himself," which will appeal to every lover of his work. James Still, the first poet laureate of Kentucky, recipient of two Guggenheim Fellowships and many other awards and honors, is the author of numerous works, including his masterful novel River of Earth. Ted Olson, associate professor of Appalachian studies and English at East Tennessee State University, is the author of Blue Ridge Folklife and the editor of CrossRoads: A Southern Culture Annual.Book MagazineIn the '30s and '40s, James Still published poetry and fiction in every major literary venue, but his death this year went virtually unnoticed everywhere but Kentucky, where he was the poet laureate. The slight is unfortunate because Still was in many ways one of the founders of Appalachian studies. Born in 1906 on an Alabama cotton farm, Still eventually began teaching in eastern Kentucky, where he found a home and a subject that would occupy his life. Still recorded "living language" and found that poetry was in the air around him. The power of his work is expressed in the images and the sounds of Appalachian folk speech. Still's book recalls readers to the rich texture of sounds that constitute the English language in America. —Stephen Whited
A man singing to himself : an autobiographical essay by James Still5Dreams27Burned tree28Fallow years29The bright road30Artifacts31Answer32Let this hill rest33Lambs34Swift were their feet35Wilderness36Dulcimer37Horse swapping38Mountain fox hunt39Infare40When the dulcimers are gone41Reckoning42Heritage43Death on the mountain44Shield of hills45Uncle Ambrose46Clabe Mott47The hill-born48Aftergrass49Child in the hills50Passenger pigeons51Farm52Fox hunt on Defeated Creek53Foal54Post offices55Earth-bread56On Troublesome Creek57Interval58Graveyard59Tracks on stone60Coal town61Fiddlers' convention on Troublesome Creek62Journey beyond the hills63Rain on the Cumberlands64Dance on pushback65I was born humble67On Redbird Creek68Pattern for death69Yesteryear's people70A hillsman speaks71Spring72Hounds on the mountain73Horseback in the rain74With hands like leaves75River of earth76White highways77Court day78On double creek79Night in the coal camps80Epitaph for Uncle Ira Combs, mountain preacher81Nixie Middleton82Come down from the hills83Eyes in the grass84On Buckhorn Creek85Year of the pigeons86Where the mares have fed88A man singing to himself89Now has day come90I shall go singing91Leap, minnows, leap92Morning : dead mare branch93A child's wisdom94Banjo Bill Cornett95Fiddle96Mountain men are free97Hill-lonely98Death in the hills99This man dying100Granny frolic101Passing of a county sheriff102Drought103Apples104The broken ibis105Early whippoorwill106Abandoned house107Wolfpen Creek108Apple trip109Funnel spider110The trees in the road111Lamp112Man o'war113Lizard114On being drafted into the U.S. Army from my log home in March 1942115Candidate116Winter tree117"Welcome, somewhat, despite the disorder"118Of the wild man119Day of flowers120Hunter121Are you up there, bad Jack?122Visitor123The common crow124After some twenty years attempting to describe a flowering branch of redbud125On the passing of my brother Alfred126What have you heard lately?127Madly to learn128High field129Unemployed coal miner130Apples in the well131Death of a fox132In my dreaming133Here in my bed134Yesterday in Belize135Artist136Of the faithful137Knife trader138Truck driver139Okra king140Could it be141Of concern142Dove143Here and now144Mine is a wide estate145My aunt Carrie146Mrs. Lloyd, her bag sale147Recollection148At year's end149Those I want in heaven with me should there be such a place150My days151
