Target New ArrivalsGift Ideas for MomClothing, Shoes & AccessoriesHome & DécorKitchen & DiningOutdoor Living & GardenFurnitureGroceryHousehold EssentialsBabyBeautyPersonal CareHealthWellnessLuggageSports & OutdoorsToysElectronicsVideo GamesMovies, Music & BooksSchool & Office SuppliesParty SuppliesGift IdeasGift CardsPetsUlta Beauty at TargetShop by CommunityTarget OpticalDealsClearanceTarget New ArrivalsSpring OutfitsGift Ideas for MomWomen’s Festival OutfitsTop DealsTarget Circle DealsWeekly AdShop Order PickupShop Same Day DeliveryRegistryRedCardTarget CircleFind Stores
All We Are Given We Cannot Hold - by  Robert Fanning (Paperback) - 1 of 1

All We Are Given We Cannot Hold - by Robert Fanning (Paperback)

$15.80Save $2.15 (12% off)

In Stock

Eligible for registries and wish lists

About this item

Highlights

  • All We Are Given We Cannot Hold, Robert Fanning's fifth collection of poetry, bravely traverses wide vistas of personal and universal terrain, exploring coast and horizon for what holds us and for what we cannot hold.
  • Author(s): Robert Fanning
  • 132 Pages
  • Poetry, American

Description



Book Synopsis



All We Are Given We Cannot Hold, Robert Fanning's fifth collection of poetry, bravely traverses wide vistas of personal and universal terrain, exploring coast and horizon for what holds us and for what we cannot hold.

Exploring boundaries of love, identity and desire, of marriage and family, of human compassion and enmity, of what is given to us and what we make, the journey ends with elegies for the poet's mother, looking through her death toward what in us is boundless, toward where the infinite begins. For fans of Dylan Thomas and Theodore Roethke, this is a lyric collection not to be missed--a core sample from the middle of life, with all of its comings and goings and grievings.



Review Quotes




"For the poet, no skill is more of service than observation--what is there, what once was and will be, where love left a mark. In this regard, Robert Fanning looks up to very few."

--Foreword Reviews

"All We Are Given We Cannot Hold is generous unto overflowing, with approaches to language that are at times visionary and towering, at others, intimate, tender, and elegiac, all during this 'season of erasure' and desolation, especially as he loses his extraordinary mother, 'her belly, ' he writes of her, 'my first sky.' Fanning's images are rich from his immersion in the natural world, images that evoke tenderness, but also violent beauty. Fanning's awe is intense, as is his pain, which he conveys to the reader with urgency. For Fanning, the life force is what yearns."

--Diane Seuss, author of frank: sonnets and Modern Poetry

"A gorgeous work of gratitude and grief, full of odes and elegies written by one whose life's work is, yes, the lyric but also love. These poems ache with tenderness and exactitude in equal measure; Robert Fanning's sharp eye--for social and political dynamics, for complicated human nature, for the shadow and the seed--is matched by his gentle touch, the generosity with which he regards his flawed and flailing fellow travelers."
--Melissa Crowe, author of Lo and Dear Terror, Dear Splendor

"There is so much to praise about this book, Fanning's fifth, so where to begin such singing? ... Every Robert Fanning poem is a deep dive into the human heart. The losses here run deep, both the private and public. But it's what the poet calls 'the love between us' that saves us and teaches us how to live. There is no other way to say it: I was heart-ravaged by this book. Ready for your own heart to be ripped apart. Fanning's own heart leads the way into piecing it and us, his readers, back together."
--Peter Markus, author of When Our Fathers Return to Us as Birds

"In his resigned and comforting voice Fanning, whether focused on a viral video, death bed, or bottle spun for a kiss in the basement after school, affirms the constancy of love while threats lurk--but where?"

--Jack Ridl, author of All At Once and Practicing to Walk Like a Heron

"In Fanning's All We Are Given We Cannot Hold, he takes on the familiar world where one goes to driver's ed, out to eat at restaurants, watches Shark Week. But what does the daily become when faced with a mother's dying, a child's pain? Because the act of a poem can undo the ordinary to reveal, Fanning recreates the dissociative leaps of grief and going forward, flipping the familiar into the unfamiliar, as the world becomes when faced with loss. But one must go on ahead bravely amid the daily beauty and strange music that can heal, even if it seems unsayable, underneath this language there is a light, as if 'a fold of silence where words once were, the way a veil of clouds reveals the momentary stars.'"

--Sean Thomas Dougherty, author of Death Prefers the Minor Keys

"Fanning's poems have an uncanny ability to sing their way into your heart, then break it wide open. This transcendent collection is a culmination of that power -- flush with hymns of ache, outrage and awe for a world that is 'always falling away.' Fanning does it all with exceptional tenderness, while showcasing a deft mastery of music, language and form. Again and again, he reminds us that 'Nothing this astonishing ever holds.' But when you read these poems, it will."

--Christina Kallery, author of Adult Night at Skate World


Dimensions (Overall): 8.4 Inches (H) x 5.4 Inches (W) x .5 Inches (D)
Weight: .4 Pounds
Suggested Age: 22 Years and Up
Number of Pages: 132
Genre: Poetry
Sub-Genre: American
Publisher: Dzanc Books
Theme: General
Format: Paperback
Author: Robert Fanning
Language: English
Street Date: December 9, 2025
TCIN: 1003007658
UPC: 9781938603501
Item Number (DPCI): 247-41-7997
Origin: Made in the USA or Imported
If the item details aren’t accurate or complete, we want to know about it.

Shipping details

Estimated ship dimensions: 0.5 inches length x 5.4 inches width x 8.4 inches height
Estimated ship weight: 0.4 pounds
We regret that this item cannot be shipped to PO Boxes.
This item cannot be shipped to the following locations: American Samoa (see also separate entry under AS), Guam (see also separate entry under GU), Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico (see also separate entry under PR), United States Minor Outlying Islands, Virgin Islands, U.S., APO/FPO, Alaska, Hawaii

Return details

This item can be returned to any Target store or Target.com.
This item must be returned within 90 days of the date it was purchased in store, delivered to the guest, delivered by a Shipt shopper, or picked up by the guest.
See the return policy for complete information.

Q: What themes are explored in this poetry collection?

submitted by AI Shopping Assistant - 27 days ago
  • A: The collection explores themes of love, identity, desire, grief, and the complexities of human relationships.

    submitted byAI Shopping Assistant - 27 days ago
    Ai generated

Q: Who is the author of this poetry book?

submitted by AI Shopping Assistant - 27 days ago
  • A: The author of the book is Robert Fanning, who is known for his evocative poetry.

    submitted byAI Shopping Assistant - 27 days ago
    Ai generated

Q: What genre does this book belong to?

submitted by AI Shopping Assistant - 27 days ago
  • A: This book belongs to the poetry genre, specifically American poetry.

    submitted byAI Shopping Assistant - 27 days ago
    Ai generated

Q: What makes this collection notable?

submitted by AI Shopping Assistant - 27 days ago
  • A: The collection is notable for its heartfelt exploration of personal loss and universal themes, delivered with rich imagery and emotional depth.

    submitted byAI Shopping Assistant - 27 days ago
    Ai generated

Q: How many pages does the book contain?

submitted by AI Shopping Assistant - 27 days ago
  • A: The book contains a total of 132 pages filled with poetry.

    submitted byAI Shopping Assistant - 27 days ago
    Ai generated

Additional product information and recommendations

Get top deals, latest trends, and more.

Privacy policy

Footer

About Us

About TargetCareersNews & BlogTarget BrandsBullseye ShopSustainability & GovernancePress CenterAdvertise with UsInvestorsAffiliates & PartnersSuppliersTargetPlus

Help

Target HelpReturnsTrack OrdersRecallsContact UsFeedbackAccessibilitySecurity & FraudTeam Member ServicesLegal & Privacy

Stores

Find a StoreClinicPharmacyTarget OpticalMore In-Store Services

Services

Target Circle™Target Circle™ CardTarget Circle 360™Target AppRegistrySame Day DeliveryOrder PickupDrive UpFree 2-Day ShippingShipping & DeliveryMore Services
PinterestFacebookInstagramXYoutubeTiktokTermsCA Supply ChainPrivacy PolicyCA Privacy RightsYour Privacy ChoicesInterest Based AdsHealth Privacy Policy