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Sky Mountain Trees Stars: A Collection of Short Poetry
Paperback
Publisher: Kelsay Books
Published: Jun 5 2026
Pages: 100
Weight: 0.32
Height: 0.21 Width: 6.00 Depth: 9.00
Language: English
In Sky Mountain Trees Stars, Shoemaker's poetry explores Japanese poetic forms, from haiku and senryū to tanka. As each technique evolves, the language remains imagistic, playful, and terse. The poems offer pointed observations of human behavior and thoughtful contemplation of place, nature, and her inhabitants. There is attention to the aurality and movement of water, inspired by Hokusai's painting and Debussy's La Mer. He deftly uses abbreviated language, images, metaphors, and varied line lengths to create poems that are simple, precise, and often poignant. I sense this book would also appeal to teachers of poetic forms.
-Laura Tohe, Ph.D., Navajo Nation Poet Laureate and Arizona State University Professor Emeriti
Not only does Shoemaker fill his lines with skeins of geese, rugosa roses, red-tailed hawks, and turquoise sardine clouds, but with a funky contemporary everydayness: lime Slurpees and pizza, Yuki's whiskers and guide dogs and steel carports, life-sized doll houses and lunar landers. He's interested in both transcendence and immanence and wants us to travel with him, whether to Portland or Oxford, Jackson Hole or the Strait of Gibraltar.
-Lance Larsen, Ph.D., Professor of English at Brigham Young University and Utah Poet Laureate, 2012-17
Haiku, in the hands of a skillful writer, is a painting that says a thousand words. Michael is an observer of the world around him and draws you into the world he sees. . . one of beauty, depth, and nuance. He captures a scene, conveys a story, and brings the world to life - all by pointing out a few select details that others would simply overlook. Sky Mountain Trees Stars is to be enjoyed by all poetry lovers!
-Christopher A. Hostettler, poet and author, Tales of the Captain
Sky Mountain Trees Stars is a thoughtfully curated collection of short poetic forms. It explores a wide range of human emotions - such as longing, serenity, and excitement - offering readers a relatable and reflective experience. Highly recommended for anyone who appreciates the expressive power of poetry.
-John J. Han, Ph.D., Professor of English and Creative Writing at Missouri Baptist University and editor, Intégrité, The Right Words, and others
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