Poetry
ORDER FROM:
At the End of my Walk
At the End of my Walk by Claudia Cole Bluhm is a compelling collection of narrative poetry about growing up and coming of many ages in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Praise for Claudia Bluhm’s At the End of my Walk
“Bluhm’s passionate, stunning poems chronicle universal coming-of-age stories that are evocative, sometimes excruciating and hilarious. In poems about childhood, the longing is so pure and universal - the kid's heart is so revealed. Illustrated in bright and clear yet textured brushstrokes, Bluhm’s hard-won honesty and insight transform sadness into magic.”
- Terri Tate, Author of Crooked Smile
“Whether exploring childhood yearning on the streets of San Francisco in Liberty Street, a complex relationship with her grandmother in Bathroom at the Ritz, reflections on matters of the heart in Romantic Love, or growth of compassion in Summer in the City, Bluhm’s powerful, vivid narratives offer a front row seat on a transformative journey. A breakthrough collection in the genre of confessional poetry.”
- Margit Liesche, Author of Triptych
“Let us celebrate these pages, this record that Claudia Bluhm has lived a full life with her eyes and ears, her heart and mind wide open.”
- Daniel Coshnear, Author of Separation Anxiety
Selected Poems:
I’ve walked Tennessee Valley three times since it opened up last Monday. The trail has grown so lush and green during its Covid hiatus – nothing trampled. Bunnies scurry across the path. The trail ends at a beach, where I put my bare feet and hands into the surf and felt like I cleansed months of antibacterial disinfectant – the cold saltwater a salve for all the compulsive handwashing and my chapped psyche. For moments, I almost felt free.
New Year's Day.
I finally tackle
my shrine of shoes –
64 pairs to be exact.
No – no – don't get me wrong,
not purchased impulsively
but over years, one pair at a time.
After turkey dinners at
the Woolworths counter,
we visit the fancy bathroom
at I Magnin –
just my Gram and me.