In Search of Lost Birds

The title poem of this collection asks "what music could survive when no one is listening?" and in these sensitively observed, vivid and lyrical poems, Ellen Rowland shows us that she is listening and listening intently. These are love poems to language and the business of living, each inspired by the work of another writer. Poems that have resonated with Rowland are held up to the light, casting new and beautiful reflections of the here and now. Small pleasures are illuminated in "savored, sugared moments" that we are urged not to overlook or take for granted. This is a book of poems that echo, that tell us again and again to keep our eyes open, to dance in the rain, to "graft each other's wounds," to never once stop listening - an uplifting delight of a read.

-Jen Feroze, author, A Dress With Deep Pockets

This collection of poems feels like a potluck cooked for humanity. In Search of Lost Birds is a literary dinner party for readers who crave warmth and tenderness. Each poem is seasoned with Rowland's unique combination of warmth, tenderness, and surprising spices. This collection invites anyone to come inside, take a seat at the table, and feast on a heaping portion of hope and a necessary serving of grief in good company.

-Patrick Ramsay, author, Butterflies are Rare in Beehives

Praise for previous work . . .

Ellen Rowland's poems open up what Jane Hirshfield has called "window-moments," allowing the imagination to diverge in surprising ways from the initial image or inspiration. It is exceedingly rare to find a poet whose every work seems to slice the world into accessible and wondrous portions.

-James Crews, author, Turning Toward Grief and Breathing Room