Where Water Comes Together with Other Water: Poems

I'm not much of a reader of poetry (I hope to change that), but I really liked this collection. These were poems from the mid-eighties, written during Carver's sobriety.

What you see here is a portrait of a very happy man. One who had conquered his demons and was ready to enjoy all the little things. They range from joyous (his fantasy about having a big boat party with all his friends), to serious (poetic "interventions" with his daughter Christine, who was heading down the same alcoholic road that he and his ex-wife had been on.

Another one I liked was "The Eagle". During a hike, an eagle dropped a fish right at his feat. Not to create waste from the bird's error, he took the fish home, cooked it and ate it. In doing so, he accepted the blessing of chance. This attitude pervades this collection. Carver is willing to accept happiness not only at the hands of this quirky occurrence, but with all the little prosaic pleasures that life offers. ( )