Tim Lilburn Books

Written over a nine-year span, Living In The World As If It Were Home is a careful, exquisite look at the human desire to share a home with long grass, rivers, and stones, by poet Tim Lilburn. Lilburn's collection of essays plots the work required to roughly re-establish the conditions of Paradise; it explores the world of prairies rivers, aspen-covered sandhills, deer country, big lakes taking on their first ice in late October, the moon rising over chokecherry thickets, and asks: How to be here? There's nothing glib about the answer Lilburn offers as he says in one of his poems: The way back will be hard, ghost road through the rooms of sorrow/moon of contemplation on our backs. Though hard, however, the way is readily available: plain delight, he believes, knows the way. But the project to live in the world as though it were home requires the recovery of the full resources of human desire. The muscle of eros needs to be made strong.

The collection explores themes of philosophical loss and political disaffection through two distinct parts. The first part delves into the historical suppression of Plato's Academy and its relocation to Persia, while the second part situates itself in contemporary Canada, featuring figures like Augustine and Kepler. Despite their differences, both sections grapple with the pervasive sense of beauty amidst chaos and the urgent call to embrace love over hatred. This darkly visionary work reflects on the collapse of sustaining paradigms in a troubled world.

Exploring the intersection of spirituality and environmentalism, Tim Lilburn delves into the contemplative traditions of the West while addressing the emotional toll of the climate crisis. He incorporates insights from historical and contemporary thinkers, emphasizing practices such as listening and imagination to foster deeper connections with the land and Indigenous communities. This work is aimed at scholars and readers engaged in poetry, environmental philosophy, and the potential for a reflective approach to politics.