Richard Kovac once again takes the reader on his journey. Here is a book of poetry by a poet who combines the literate with the lived. The Benign Tree is a work of real poetry from a man who has lived it to write about it. These poems are straight forward and grounded in the contemporary and common images of the day. McDonald's might be in one poem, Mickey and Mini in another, each will speak to us. This is a first hand view of living by a poet who now, as he gets older, gives us real insight into life, his life, and what that life has become. It is not always comfortable, it is not always perfect, but it is always real and it is always full of deep understanding and real beauty. From Morning Wake-up: Smoke / and coffee / make morning / around here. As it does for so many. Read this book with care and with a solemn eye.
