IN THE PRESENCE OF ABSENCE

&ldquo,Richard Widerkehr&rsquo,s In the Presence of Absence is a book of loss and recovery, grief and wonder. These are poems informed with clarity and compassion, and a quiet lyricism in confronting the mortal world, the death of parents, and life-threatening illness. There is a freshness and ease of manner to Widerkehr&rsquo,s writing and at times a kind of other worldly aura, &lsquo,that strange gift from the other side.&rsquo, There is as well a deep gratitude that infuses these poems, that grounds them in the here and now. He is a poet who has &lsquo,been dealt happiness,/grief, and two wild cards.&rsquo, And we are the lucky readers who have been dealt these marvelous poems.&rdquo, &mdash,Joseph Stroud. author of Of This World