"In his collection Heron Spirit, Ken Gierke invites us to walk with him and immerse ourselves in nature. His gentle poems, with their keen observation of details and strong sense of place, let us share quiet moments on forest paths and on the river. Attuned to the wonders of creation, Gierke unabashedly speaks of "the beauty of leaves, of water, and of sky." A deep peace permeates this book, and the poems have a meditative quality as they ponder what traces we leave in the world."
-Agnes Vojta, author of A Coracle for Dreams
"Regarding Heron Spirit, by Ken Gierke, one may get an impression of walking alongside him or sharing the kayak that he paddles down the Osage or Niagara rivers. Gierke's numerous meditations on nature and relationships, the river in particular, having lived near Niagara Falls for much of his life, merges heartfelt experience into poetry. His poems are personal and honest as he allows the feelings and thoughts of his surroundings to find their way into phrases that subtly recall Asian haiku and tanka poetry. He honors the memories of his parents and creates new memories playing with his grandchildren. These poems should be read slowly and allowed to settle in. They are positive and well-intended, eschewing negativity and avoiding the political drama of today's news to once again bring up subjects like truth and beauty into focus. Heron Spirit should have a place in your library and be enjoyed, time and again."
-Ron Schira, art critic
"Ken Gierke's new poetry collection, Heron Spirit, is a conversation with the natural world. The poems take us from playing in leaves to lines that paddle in unison with the waves of metaphors, the lines that stretch into the endless horizon of an endless river. Nature holds bold, tall titans, sentinel eagles, and a graceful heron that transforms into the Maid of the Mist. Gierke's poems observe and reflect "in true silence". Maneuvering in the waters teaches us how to solve problems and gain new perspectives. The poems fill the silence not just between each paddle but between bird calls. That is, the poems breathe with the flow of the river and bird songs. Through stunning imagery and use of meter, Gierke shows us that the forces of nature are the true constant for our future generations and "beckon us all" to enter the sacred realm of the heron spirit."
-Barbara Harris Leonhard, Author, Three-Penny Memories: A Poetic Memoir (EIF-Experiments
in Fiction, 2022)
"In Heron Spirit, an Ars Poetica and celebration of nature, Ken Gierke, paddle in hand, navigates his kayak through "the silence that white noise breeds," searching for "what is to come / downstream..." Throughout the book he acknowledges his personal insignificance in both the world of the heron and that of the word, illuminating in spare but precise language the mysteries and wonders found in poetry and nature. Gierke leads the reader to epiphanies and, yes, more questions, some of which may not easily be answered. In the poem "In Stillness," he asks "Where else would I want to be / than here, on quiet water?" An avid reader and fan, I reply "Here, with Heron Spirit in hand."
-Robert Okaji, author of Buddha's Not Talking