Mouth Toward Sky

Grounded with Pacific Northwest images true to the author's life as a fourth-generation Oregonian, the poems explore loving relationships, growing and being a Mom in these times. Some have personal views of historical events-learning of the Kennedy assassination while in middle school German class; teaching about Hiroshima; the Vietnam memorial and explaining it to a child age 5; trying to hang a father's flag after 9/11. The collection includes a "poem of the week" from Poets Against the War and award winners from the Oregon Poetry Association. Several of the poems include lines that eventually became Peace Leaves, the author's series of gift poems letterpressed onto leaf-shaped fine arts papers.

Included is a poem called "Drinking Rain" which quotes son Nate as a child, who put his mouth toward the sky; hence the title. Mouth Toward Sky also denotes speaking out. The cover art includes a woodcut print from artist Debby Neely of a red-winged blackbird with it's mouth open toward the sky, and one poem features these birds.

Here's what Marvin Bell has to say about the book: Gerry Foote's poems are embedded in events central to the American experience of student, teacher, parent and citizen, here expressed with an irresistible warmth and care. Open-eyed, by turns grounded and romantic, hers is a truly humanitarian sensibility and, as such, a welcome pleasure in any age.