This book uses the history and prehistory of the Sangamon river valley as his subject matter; the poems are laconic, earthy, full of sharply observed details, and are rendered with a flair for common speech.

Both moving and humorous, Knoepfle's autobiography shows how by hard work andlucky accident he came to be the poet he is.

In these 112 pages, John Knoepfle eloquently celebrates themes that have engaged him as a poet for over half a century--life, love, and death. The best collection of new poems you will ever find. Walking in Snow, embraces us with wit, warmth, and affection, these luminous, intensely honest poems, testify to courage, tenderness, and the enduring wonders of nature.

Whats new in this book? What is new comes from being eighty-nine. There is a great freedom in these poems. They range at will from the mundane to the utterly mysterious and deeply spiritual. There are conversations with friends and a conversation about a malfunctioning alarm clock with the poets son. The poet crosses boundaries. He breaks rules. Emotions shift. Galaxies appear and reappear. The angel of death comes up with a comment on the poets work. There is advice from Santa Claus. What more could a reader require? The shadows are deep. The starlight is bright.

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John Knoepfle's latest book The Aloe of Evening is the best collection of poems you will read this year. Knoepfle pronounced know-full] has command of our spoken language few writers will ever achieve. And he knows exactly where the golden thread of each poem is. His poems have both breadth and emotional depth. One poem within this book begins with sadness profound enough to make the reader cry, and closes with humor strong enough to make this reader laugh out loud. As early as the second poem cameo appearances are made by Horatio and Hamlet. Further into the book the poet raises a question...