Dobyns employs extended tropes in his poetry and some works of non-genre fiction, using the ridiculous and the absurd as vehicles to introduce more profound meditations on life, love, and art. He shies neither from the low nor from the sublime, all in a straightforward narrative voice of reason. His journalistic training has strongly informed this voice.
The novel features a small-time con operation intertwined with the dynamics of two combative detectives. It explores themes of pride, revenge, and deception, blending humor with suspense. The narrative draws comparisons to the works of Richard Russo and Elmore Leonard, promising a unique take on the crime genre through engaging character interactions and clever plotting.
Focusing on the craft of poetry, this guide offers a structured approach to writing while addressing contemporary issues in the field. Stephen Dobyns draws from his extensive experience to discuss various aspects of poetry, including subject matter, mechanics, and revision. Each chapter features insights from celebrated poets like Philip Larkin, Pablo Neruda, and William Butler Yeats, providing valuable lessons. The book aims to enlighten and inspire writers, helping them navigate challenges in their creative journey and demystifying the art of poetry.
Another bucolic fall in northern New Hampshire, and the semester is under way at Bishop's Hill Academy. But this year the start of school has been less than tranquil. The new headmaster, Jim Hawthorne, has liberal ideas that the staff find far from welcome. He's also determined to do something about the long "tradition" of permanent loans to faculty of shovels, saws, even cars, from the school's supplies. Eloquent as he is on the subject of honor, rumor has it he's only taken this job to escape his past. And Hawthorne isn't the only uneasy newcomer. There's Jessica, a former stripper at fifteen, and Frank LeBrun, a replacement cook who's a bit too quick with a dirty joke. All three have secrets to conceal, memories to suppress. Serene on the surface, the ivy-clad, tree-lined campus gives few clues to the school's history of special privileges, petty corruptions, and hidden allegiances. But as autumn advances, the affable smiles and pretenses of virtue wear thin. And as winter closes in, students, teachers, and staff get an education in savagery and murder.
In the small town of Aurelius, New York, three young girls go missing, and their bodies are eventually found. Initially, marginalized individuals are suspected, but as fear and distrust escalate, neighbors accuse each other. The community's hysteria peaks, leading citizens to take the law into their own hands.
Set against a backdrop of violence in a war-torn Latin American country, three men gather at the home of the renowned surgeon Daniel Pacheco for their semiannual meeting. As they enjoy a lavish meal, a captivating photograph of a young woman sparks discussions that reveal deep-seated erotic obsessions and betrayals. The tension escalates as the chaos of the outside world encroaches upon their gathering, blurring the lines between personal intrigue and the harsh realities of their environment.
From the fabulous storytelling of our dreams to the mute passions of domestic life, Stephen Dobyns explores a full range of human experience in these narrative poems. Often frightening and sometimes downright funny, the world of Cemetery Nights is haunted by regret, driven by desire and need, illuminated by daring make-believe -- the remarkable bridge between pure entertainment and deep psychological insight.