The Hope of Anarchy

This collection of poems takes the reader casually, but inevitably, into an encounter with the psychological and spiritual dimensions of the human condition. The poem, 'There descended' touches upon the frailty of human life and shows how each of us is able to be compassionate to those weaker than us. In Purdy-esque style, the poem 'Al Purdy (1918-2000)' extends this theme and credits Purdy with making "cardboard existence" colossal through his honesty, and yet the illusion of permanence evaporates.

But there is more, and thus the title.

Despite the light and refreshing haiku and vignettes of everyday life, the poems written in war zones reveal the pain and insights of an author who has worked for peace and justice as a renowned peace mediator. They move from anger,
through love, toward a transcendence of the ego and narrow selfishness. We don't find prescriptions here but are pointed in a hopeful direction. The Hope of Anarchy is not about political anarchy in the narrow sense but about a state of being uncertain, non-ideological, and open to possibilities. It is a peripatetic journey, humorous at times, profound, and ultimately uplifting.