Of Gravity & Angels

Of Gravity & Angels is Jane Hirshfield's second poetry collection, published in 1988. The volume contains 52 poems organized into four sections. The poems move through themes of nature, relationships, and Buddhist practice. Hirshfield draws on her experiences as a Zen practitioner and her observations of both urban and rural environments. The collection includes narrative poems, lyric meditations, and pieces that blend Eastern and Western poetic traditions. Many poems center on moments of transformation or revelation in everyday settings. The work explores intersections between the physical and spiritual worlds, examining how gravity - both literal and metaphorical - shapes human experience alongside more transcendent forces. Through precise imagery and measured language, Hirshfield creates a dialogue between earthbound existence and broader cosmic questions.

Readers consistently highlight Hirshfield's contemplative tone and focus on everyday moments that reveal deeper truths. The poems connect nature imagery with human experiences in ways that multiple reviewers found accessible while maintaining depth. Liked: - Precise, clear language that avoids obscurity - The blending of Zen Buddhist influences with Western poetic forms - Poems that reward multiple readings - Strong nature metaphors and observations Disliked: - Some readers found certain poems overly subtle - A few noted that some pieces feel emotionally distant Ratings: Goodreads: 4.18/5 (148 ratings) Amazon: 5/5 (limited reviews) Notable reader comments: "Her poems are like river stones - smooth on the surface but with hidden complexities" - Goodreads reviewer "Shows how the ordinary becomes extraordinary through careful attention" - Amazon review "Balances intellectual rigor with emotional resonance" - Poetry Foundation forum comment

Nine Gates: Entering the Mind of Poetry by Jane Hirshfield Essays explore meditation, mindfulness, and poetry through the lens of Zen Buddhism.

What the Living Do by Marie Howe Poetry collection connects daily moments to deeper meditations on loss, love, and human experience.

Blue Iris by Mary Oliver Nature-focused poems merge close observation with spiritual contemplation.

The Wild Iris by Louise Glück Poetry collection uses garden imagery to examine existence through multiple voices including flowers, gardener, and deity.

Sun Under Wood by Robert Hass Poems weave Buddhist thought with natural world observations and personal narrative.

🌟 The collection was published in 1988 and was Jane Hirshfield's second book of poetry, following her debut Alaya (1982) 🌸 Hirshfield wrote many of these poems during her time at the Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, where she became the first woman to live as a lay practitioner 🎯 The book's title plays on the tension between earthly and spiritual forces - gravity representing the physical world and angels representing the divine 📖 Several poems in this collection explore Buddhist concepts and meditation practices, reflecting Hirshfield's eight years of Zen study 🎨 The work garnered significant attention for its elegant fusion of Eastern philosophy with Western poetic traditions, helping establish Hirshfield as an important voice in contemporary American poetry