Chatter in the Canopy - Backstory

In 2000, I asked my father, Dick Roberts, to illustrate some of my poems with the goal of self-publishing a small book. I’ve always admired his artistic talents and, not having been close over the years, I was interested in us doing something together that might outlive us and show someone someday that two creative people had been here and had contributed something of value to the culture.

I liked the results, and, thinking I may have only one opportunity to complete a project like this, I asked another old friend whose work I liked, Doug Heinlein, to illustrate additional poems.

In 2008, I stumbled across a book called Speaking Fire at Stones: Poems by William Carpenter and Drawings by Robert Shetterly (ISBN 0-88448-105-0 Tilbury House, Gardiner, ME 1992). It knocked me out. People familiar with that book will, I hope, forgive me for my obvious “homage” with Chatter in the Canopy.

Chatter in the Canopy was a glorious pain to finish, and I hope it will be considered one small contribution to what makes life worth living.

To buy a copy, visit Etsy or Amazon. (Etsy copies get signed.)

If you get one, read it, and have something positve to say about it, please consider leaving a review on Amazon.

Thanks,

– JR