Fireflies: Poems of Love and Family

Keith Tornheim’s Fireflies is a collection of tender, poignant family poems. While most poets fence their demons, Tornheim reflects on moments that show how marriage and fatherhood fulfill him and and shape the lens through which he views the world. Beginning with poems for his wife, he mixes memories from early in their marriage with recent events. This concatenation shows how young hopes mature into an earned future. The heart is revealed by separation and by nearness. There are poems for each of his daughters. Tornheim alludes to their charming differences and his touch, always gentle, illustrates how the father sees their traits and contributions. Tornheim stands out with his rich images of family love. To read Fireflies is to understand the essence of all that makes life a virtuous journey. Richard Fox, Time Bomb and wandering in puzzle boxes This book would be a lovely present for a wife or lover, a bouquet of love poems: love mundane, love transporting, love solemn, love amused, love divine-love that grows beyond the intimate love of two to encompass children and grandchildren. If you love someone, you will see yourself here. Lawrence Kessenich, Age of Wonders Keith Tornheim blends romance and tenderness with sweetly-wry observations about human dynamics as he looks back on his nearly 50 years of marriage-from the first deep kiss as young lovers, to the unexpected smooch in the closet as he and his wife, now middle aged, select that day’s outfits. A wonderful little collection that explores moving through life with grace and humor. Glenn Bowie, Under the Weight of Whispers