where does love go

In his most recent poetry collection, where does love go, Tom Murphy punches the gas pedal of his wild imagination and takes us on a journey that traces the shifting contours of a life redefined by retirement, illness, and, yes, the subtleties of quiet joys. Averse to complacency and stagnation, these poems jump on the interstate, fly across oceans and alight, in the blink of an eye, next to Keats' grave, on a tram in Turkey, or at the edge of the Mississippi. Brimming with grace and gratitude, these poems are Murphy's way to say "thank you" to the places he has been, and to the people in his life, specially to his living poet friends and to those who have gone ahead to clear a path for us to follow their "vast illuminations." Read these poems while your "thirst is still wet," and see how "all is woven."

Tom Murphy's new book, where does love go, is a rip current that will pull your feet out from under you. When you go under, don't panic. Keep reading. Read parallel to the shore of reality until you begin to feel the logic of poetry, then read at an angle until you realize that the windblown Corpus palms you see in the distance, down Ocean Drive, are guiding you to new ways of seeing, of being. Tom Murphy's where does love go is the journey of a lifetime, one you'll never forget. Go ahead, read it, take the ride. I dare you. You'll be glad you did.