A Transparent Tree: Fictions

by Robert Kelly

Each of the eleven long and short fictions in this book is a mystery of language branching from its imaginary root. Through different settings and events, Kelly explores the dimensions of a central theme -- how people act without knowing what is happening to them, how they move through the enigma of desire and intention while waiting for the world to decipher itself. Written with the clarity and palpably sensuous, carefully crafted style that has won awards for this poetry, this premier collection, which includes the famous novella "Cities," received an American Academy-Institute Award in 1985.

200 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1985

About the author

Kelly has published more than fifty books of poetry and prose, including Red Actions: Selected Poems 1960-1993 (1995) and a collection of short fictions, A Transparent Tree (1985). Many were published by the Black Sparrow Press. He also edited the anthology A Controversy of Poets (1965).Kelly was of great help to the Hungryalist group of poets of India during the trial of Malay Roychoudhury,with whom he had correspondence,now archived at Kolkata.

Kelly received the Los Angeles Times First Annual Book Award (1980) for Kill the Messenger Who Brings Bad News and the American Book Award, Before Columbus Foundation (1991) for In Time.