If the Delta Was the Sea

by Dick Lourie

Poetry. "Dick Lourie has written a rich, spacious book. Observing the principles that 'we are all embedded in history' and that the individual 'contains multitudes,' these poems present a portrait of a place, Clarksdale, Mississippi, and its people, through a unique cultural and social perspective. Lourie has an impeccable ear for colloquial nuances and an acute eye for meaningful trivia. IF THE DELTA WAS THE SEA is a genuine delight"--Ha Jin. "Dick Lourie has something to say and he says it well. Here, in direct, clear, no-nonsense language, he tells the story of Clarksdale, in the heart of the Mississippi Delta. The voices of the town ring true, from blues legend Robert Johnson. to Lin 'Pap' Pang, an elder in the Chinese community, all presented with irony, humor and honest insight. .."--Martin Espada.

165 pages, Paperback

First published May 5, 2009

About the author

Dick Lourie is a poet and the author of eight books. His most recent collection, If the Delta was the Sea, is available from Hanging Loose Press.

In 1968, he signed the “Writers and Editors War Tax Protest” pledge, vowing to refuse tax payments in protest against the Vietnam War.

He has edited, along with Mark Pawlak, two anthologies of high school writing Smart Like Me and Bullseye. A musician as well as a poet, Lourie plays the tenor sax and trumpet with the Blue Suede Boppers, the G-Clefs, and musician Big Jack Johnson. In 2000, he released a CD, Ghost Radio Blues, a mix of blues and spoken word. He is retired from the University of Massachusetts, where he worked as an editor.

He currently resides in Somerville, Massachusetts, with his wife, Abby Freedman.