A Tree with a Bird in it: A Symposium of Contemporary American Poets on Being Shown a Pear-tree on Which Sat a Grackle

In this whimsical anthology, a modest pear tree becomes the unlikely stage for a gathering of America’s most celebrated poets. Under its branches, a bright‑green grackle perches, prompting each writer to deliver playful verses, sharp parodies, and heartfelt musings that riff on the quirks of their own styles. The book captures the charm of an outdoor symposium where the ordinary scene turns into a lively contest of wit and imagination.

Illustrated with witty caricatures, the collection weaves together the voices of both well‑known and emerging poets, each offering a distinct take on the bird, the tree, and the fleeting moments of winter observation. The result is a light‑hearted yet thoughtful celebration of poetic camaraderie, inviting listeners to hear the humor, humility, and occasional melancholy that surface when literary greats converse in the shade of a single, now‑dead tree.