Refusing Heaven: Poems
Jack Gilbert published rarely and lived mostly outside literary circles, spending long stretches in a Greek village. Refusing Heaven, published when he was in his eighties, won the National Book Critics Circle Award for Poetry and reintroduced him to a wide audience. The poems circle the death of his wife Michiko, his years in Europe, and his refusal to see suffering and joy as opposites. The book's title poem argues that even in a world of pain we owe it praise. Gilbert's voice is stripped down and direct, closer to a philosopher speaking clearly than a poet performing. Elizabeth Gilbert, who shares only a name and no relation, has repeatedly named Jack Gilbert as one of her favorite living poets and Refusing Heaven as a book she returns to often.
What you might want to know about Refusing Heaven: Poems
The questions readers send us most often, answered without spoilers.
Jack Gilbert's late career poems on love, grief, and the choice to embrace the world exactly as it is.
Elizabeth Gilbert has called Jack Gilbert one of her favorite poets and has said his work, especially Refusing Heaven, is central to how she thinks about joy and grief. She often quotes the title poem in her talks and newsletters.
No. They share a last name but no family connection. Elizabeth Gilbert has often clarified this while insisting Jack Gilbert is a poet everyone should know.
Refusing Heaven: Poems was written by Jack Gilbert, published in 2005 by Knopf.
Refusing Heaven: Poems is 112 pages in standard print editions, though page counts vary slightly between hardcover, paperback, and large-print formats.
At an average reading pace of about 250 words per minute, Refusing Heaven: Poems takes most readers about 2 hours to finish.
Refusing Heaven: Poems is available in hardcover, paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats from Amazon, Bookshop.org, ThriftBooks, and most major bookstores.
