Nature, Nostalgia, and Pure Grace
Garden Tools is a heartfelt collection of poetry that dives into the beauty of the everyday, the quiet rhythms of nature, and the deeply personal moments that define life. Rooted in themes of memory, love, loss, and longing, this debut poetry volume explores the fragile, fleeting moments that often go unnoticed but leave lasting impressions.
The poems in Garden Tools are not loud or theatrical—they whisper, they linger, taking readers on an emotional journey that moves through stillness and sorrow, tenderness and transcendence. The book’s tripartite structure gives the collection an elegant framework. In Landscape, nature becomes a mirror for the poet’s inner terrain. Love opens into themes of intimacy, loss, and the haunting ache of memory. And in Longing, we encounter a man reflecting on the ghosts of youth—baseball games, forgotten bicycles, and dreams deferred—all shadowed by the quiet pull of mortality. Each poem serves as a moment of stillness, a gentle reminder that profound meaning often dwells in life’s most overlooked details.
David W. Berner is known for his prose—memoirs and fiction—with positive reader ratings across multiple genres. Some highlights from his bibliography include The Islander, Daylight Saving Time, Walks With Sam, and Night Radio. Garden Tools marks his first published volume of poetry, and it is a strikingly confident and graceful debut in verse. His writing is lyrical yet grounded, rich with vivid imagery and emotional clarity. Berner’s language is unpretentious but powerful, drawing the reader gently into moments of quiet introspection and humble awe. His ability to blend the spiritual with the tangible, the sacred with the simple, makes this collection resonate deeply.
Garden Tools is a book to be savored slowly, one poem at a time, perhaps with morning coffee or an evening walk. It is perfect for readers who appreciate the subtle beauty of life’s quieter moments and who find comfort in reflective, meditative writing. Whether you’re a long-time fan of Berner’s work or discovering him for the first time, this collection is a worthy and rewarding read.
