“Longing itself is nothing but the heart’s open spaces,”

New this month from the University of Nebraska is The Darkened Temple by Mari L’Esperance. Winner of the Prairie Schooner Book Prize in Poetry, this book concentrates on the disappearance of a mother and the space that leaves in the author’s heart. This week Linking in Lincoln will take a look at this book and see what we can make of the authors intentions and themes.

Who is Mari L’Esperance? Well the curse of the poet is often that they are destined to be anonymous for most of their careers. Rarely do we find, even the most brilliant poet, on the cover of People magazine. So thank god for Poets& Writers.com. Check out Ms. L’Esperance’s page there.

What is the dark? What does darkness mean in scientific terms, poetic, artistic? As always we turn to the informative Wikipedia .com for a few thoughts.

If temples are more your thing, dark or not, then head to youtube.com for a look at Lost Temples: Mayan Pyramids of Chichen Itza.

What is the Prairie Schooner Book Prize? Well, other than an honor you might say? Well check out the UNL website for the complete 411.

As an avid reader, nothing is more exciting then the idea of all my favorite authors coming together in an place where we, the readers, can connect with them on a level playing field. This place is called the RedRoom.com or (maybe Myspace for writers) and you should check it out!

Well readers, for a closer look at The Darkened Temple and other great works of poetry, head to the UNP website. Don’t forget to join us next Friday for “This Week in History.”