Discovering What to Say

COMING IN OCTOBER! by Wally Swist This collection of 39 poems, written over five years, chronicles the profound passages of later life—love deepened by loss, the solace found in nature, and the weight of memory. Written as the author's spouse, Tevis, lives with Alzheimer's in care, these verses don't dwell on illness but instead reveal how a life fully lived continues to discover what matters most. The collection unfolds in four movements: intimate encounters with the natural world that offer both refuge and revelation; tributes to literary guides like Linda Gregg, Rilke, and Merwin; explorations of childhood's complex legacy; and meditations on sacred places—from the Lincoln statue at Chesterwood to quiet moments in Yale Divinity School Chapel. Written from the vantage point of a septuagenarian, these poems grapple with essential questions: After a lifetime of experience, what deserves to be spoken? What can we offer to those we love, to ourselves, to strangers who might find meaning