All Sins Forgiven: Poems for My Parents - Charles Coe

\nCoe writes about his parents with warmth, insight, and grace . . . with celebration as well as regret. A collection that captures the tenderness and intimacy within the black family. His words construct a path from the innocence of childhood into the winter of aging. His book will outlive much of the poetry being written today.--E. Ethelbert Miller\n \nNo relationship is more personal, yet universal, than that of parent and child. These richly detailed poems connect readers with their own experiences in that most fundamental of relationships, and are poignant reminders that the lives of those closest to us sometimes offer the deepest mysteries.\n \ndomesticity\n \npampered little girl \nno crystal ball to warn you \nof dirty laundry mountains.\n \nFrom How My Father Learned to Cook \n \nBecause of the tomatoes in a neighbor's garden, \nmy father learned to cook. Because of late summer \nhome-grown Indiana tomatoes, drooping on the vine \nmy father learned to cook. Imagine him at twelve leaning \nover the fence of the neighbor's garden curious but shy, \nand the neighbor pointing to the open gate. \nImagine father digging in the soil, caught in the rhythm \nof the gardener's dance \nand later handing his surprised mother \nthe overstuffed paper bag.\n \nA pretty story, but it never happened; here's what did: \n \nCharles Coe's poetry and prose have appeared in numerous newspapers and magazines, and his poems have been set to music by composers Julia Carey, Beth Denisch, and Robert Moran. Coe also writes feature articles, book reviews, and interviews for Harvard Magazine, Northeastern University Law Review, and the Boston Phoenix. He is also a jazz vocalist, performing and recording throughout New England.\n