Ten Poems for Difficult Times - by Roger Housden

Book Synopsis

A beautiful new addition to a bestselling poetry anthology series that guides readers in dark times, both personal and societal

For decades, Roger Housden has curated poetry collections that offer solace, strength, and perspective when they're needed most. In this powerful volume, he brings together poems that speak directly to the human experience of suffering -- reminding us that we are not alone in our grief, our fear, or our uncertainty.

Housden reflects on each poem in ways that gently guide us toward clarity and comfort. These are not poems that avoid the truth -- Jack Gilbert reminds us there is "sorrow everywhere," and Maggie Smith observes that "the world is at least fifty percent terrible" -- yet within these lines are glimmers of resilience, beauty, and even joy.

This is poetry as a lifeline, transforming pain into perseverance, despair into meaning, and heartbreak into healing.

Ten Poems for Difficult Times

"Good Bones" by Maggie Smith
"The Thing Is" by Ellen Bass
"The Quarrel" by Conrad Aiken
"Cutting Loose" by William Stafford
"Rain Light" by W. S. Merwin
"How the Light Comes" by Jan Richardson
"Now You Know the Worst" by Wendell Berry
"A Brief for the Defense" by Jack Gilbert
"It's This Way" by Nazim Hikmet
"Annunciation" by Marie Howe

Review Quotes

"For years, I have carried Roger Housden's poetry collections with me wherever I go. This book comes just in time. The heart of the world is breaking, and these ten poems are a life-giving elixir."
-- Mirabai Starr, author of Caravan of No Despair and God of Love

"I read Ten Poems for Difficult Times during a rough time in my own life, and the poems reminded me of essential truths that I forget and must remember many times a day. . . . If you're having a difficult time, or know someone who is, you'll want to read and share these poems."
-- Ellen Bass, award-winning poet and author of The Courage to Heal

"A truly remarkable achievement."
-- Spirituality Today

About the Author

Roger Housden is the author of twenty-three books, including the bestselling Ten Poems series. His writing has been featured in many publications, such as the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, and O: The Oprah Magazine. A native of England, he lives in Marin County, California.