Seven-Star Bird: Poems for the Reader

In this haunting debut, David Daniel explores a city-entire lives swept clean off the map. As breezes lap the shallow-tugged tide flow and swallows twitter and skirt the dusk, we lie within the wreckage of the stars - the moon spill, our planets' pull - this sad machine.

You will not find Friendship, Texas; it now lies at the bottom of a lake of floodwater, forgotten. In Seven-Star Bird, David Daniel rescues the town's and the poet's own family's stories and memories, from an immigrant past and from the clutches of devastation. Guided by Heraclitus, this debut collection weaves a tapestry of elliptical and elaborate voices, lyrics, and narratives, discovering an ethical, religious, and aesthetic antidote to the disasters of loss and disappointment.

Why do the gods call down their inexplicable punishment? Why can we never step into the same river twice? Through this poetic exploration, Daniel grapples with these profound questions, unearthing the complexities of human existence in the face of unimaginable adversity. The collection's haunting, lyrical prose and vivid imagery paint a powerful portrait of a community and a family torn apart by forces beyond their control, yet determined to preserve their stories and memories.

At the heart of Seven-Star Bird lies a deep meditation on the resilience of the human spirit, the enduring power of storytelling, and the search for meaning amidst the chaos of life. Daniel's masterful command of language and his ability to capture the nuances of human emotion and experience make this debut a poignant and unforgettable exploration of the human condition. Through the lens of Friendship, Texas, this collection speaks to the universal truths that bind us all, offering a glimmer of hope in the face of overwhelming loss and a reminder of the enduring strength of the human spirit.

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