We lost one of the Colorado’s finest poets this past Friday. Bob King passed away after a long struggle with cancer. I can’t say enough about Bob’s fine writing, his generosity and humanity, his feeling for the sacred in nature, and his fundamental honesty. Here’s an example, from his most recent collection, In the Empty Mountains (scroll down to order) from Danny Rosen‘s extraordinary Lithic Press:
EVENING IN THE EMPTY MOUNTAINS
And when it arrives,
the forest retreating
into its old shadows,the river mirroring
the fragile sky so both
shimmer a faint silver,I realize I’ve waited
all day for this moment,
a change that never changes.Everything I know is dark.
Everything I don’t know
lights up within itself.
Vaya con dios, amigo. I will miss your gravelly voice and your luminous spirit!
I already miss him so much.
All Hail The King, Bob King!
By Daniel Klawitter
Some Of These Days go by too fast
Others are wonderfully slow.
But deep down we all know
The days don’t last regardless-
You said you will face yours
Without hope or hopelessness.
A sage and teacher to the end!
Motion turns us motionless-
But my friend, our words outlive us
On the page. Your poems always
Have that ring of truthfulness.
And when the Zen Buddhists ask:
“What is the sound of one hand clapping?”
I’ll think to myself: “It isn’t Ezra Pound—
It’s Robert W. King—and it’s the sound
Of an Old Man Laughing.”
With his humor, broad perspectives, and deep humanity, Dr. Bob King was an inspiring example to many of us here in Colorado, a respected poet and mentor who will be remembered for his illuminating poetry as well as his work directing the Colorado Poets Center. Please express our condolences to his family. Dan Guenther
I am so sorry to hear of Bob King’s passing and send my condolences to his wife. He was a fine poet, wonderful lecturer, inclusive of so many of us Colorado poets in his workshops, and a true gentleman. May flights of angels sing him to his rest.
A wonderful man and a wonderful poet. I honor his memory.
Tender and delicate poem. Thanks for sharing. Bob’s words will
live on.