William Allen Burley

Cardinal Points of View William Allen Burley

A chapbook is a collection of short stories, poems, essays, and ephemera published in paperback form. What do you enjoy reading? In Cardinal Points of View, you have choices. Summers spent at camp in New York's Adirondack Mountains are remembered by an aging camper. Two writers--one a Scot, one an American--meet at a castle siege reenactment and share their experiences and motivations. Peanut-butter toppings are tested in a blind tasting. An Irish dance tune gets lyrics. A warning about overpopulation is sounded. Cornell University freshman, Abraham Lincoln, learns how to write a good speech. And don't forget verse. More than twenty original poems challenge the reader to wrestle with the cadence of poetic rhythm and consider the enigmas inherent in creative language. Finally, the contents of Cardinal Points of View are embellished with beautiful photographs depicting Colorado's Front Range Mountains.

Cardinal Points of View is dedicated to a deceased friend. It concludes with passages from his life story. He offers advice about carefully selecting words before speaking.