Mark Doty est un poète, essayiste et auteur de mémoires dont l'œuvre plonge dans les profondeurs de l'expérience humaine. Sa poésie et sa prose sont célébrées pour leurs explorations perspicaces de la beauté et de la fragilité du monde, se concentrant souvent sur des thèmes tels que l'amour, la perte et la nature. Le style de Doty se caractérise par sa sensibilité et sa précision linguistique, capturant des émotions et des moments complexes avec une clarté remarquable. Son écriture offre aux lecteurs un aperçu intime de la recherche de sens et de connexion dans un monde en constante évolution.
In What Is the Grass, Doty - a poet, a lover of men, a New Yorker, and an American - keeps company with Whitman and his mutable, landmark work, Leaves of Grass, tracing the resonances between his own experience and the legendary poet's life and work.What is it, then, between us? Whitman asks.
As Beau bounds back to life, the two dogs become Mark Doty's companions, his solace, and eventually the very life force that keeps him from abandoning all hope during the darkest days - their tenacity, loyalty and love inspiring him when all else fails.
The book delves into the transformation of Dallas from its humble beginnings in 1841 to a thriving metropolis following the arrival of the Texas and Pacific Railroad in 1873. It highlights the city's continuous development as a banking and commercial hub, which resulted in the loss of many historic buildings and neighborhoods. By documenting these forgotten places, the work captures the essence of Dallas's architectural heritage and the impact of urban growth on its historical landscape.