B.D. Love grew up in a small town in Southeastern Michigan, along the banks of a murky and probably toxic body of water called -- presumably for its color -- the River Raisin. His first poem, a prayer to the Virgin Mary composed when he was in the third grade, inspired his homeroom nun to accuse him of plagiarism. He did not write again for many years, until the death of his grandmother prompted his return to verse.
His poetry and short fiction have appeared in numerous journals, and he's had several books published.
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Reviews of
Hounds of Wonder: A Life In Rescue Dogs
'Hounds of Wonder' is a strong, tender account of a life spent loving dogs. There is no doubt B.D. Love has mastered the art of the sonnet - each set of fourteen lines builds a unique little world around its canine subject. The gentle hints of Love's own life story add a human element and, overall, the collection is one that will move even those who are not particularly dog-lovers. To achieve what Love has in a form as restrictive as the sonnet is really remarkable.’
- Elizabeth Gibson, Foxglove Journal, UK
'A compelling sincerity and kindness can be found in B.D. Love’s Hounds of Wonder: A Life in Rescue Dogs. Love’s sonnets are the work of a poet whose commitment to his craft is equal to his keen ability to chronicle the details of the lives of eleven very different dogs. These abandoned dogs live “beside the freeway” or are “trapped behind a chain link fence,” or caged in the “Central Shelter” until they are rescued by the poet. This is a personal journey told by Love who feels the force of our human obligation to see how our culture has cast away so many dogs. Through the heartbeat meter of his sonnets, B.D. Love allows us to meet these beautiful, quirky, funny, shy and once cruelly treated dogs. In doing so, he reminds us that poetry is compassion and compassion is how we may rescue others.'
- Susan A. Cohen co-editor of Coming of Age at the End of Nature: A Generation Faces Living on a Changed Planet
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MAURA KENNEDY - “VILLANELLE”
For years, the New York-based duo The Kennedys have been perfecting an exhilarating sound that blends 60s-style pop-rock with Americana. Recently Maura released a solo album, “Villanelle,” which features songs she penned with her friend, poet B.D. Love.Their collaboration has resulted in unforgettable songs, performed with brilliance. Maura’s voice entrances on such numbers as “Bicycles with Broken Spokes,” “I Cried To Dream Again,” “Firefly,” “She Worked Her Magic On Me,” “Coyotes” and “Be The One.”And her melodies flow ever so tenderly and naturally over the beautiful, elegant lyrics provided by Love. There are 15 tunes here and each is a carefully cultivated gem.
- Pop Culture Classics, Review 2015
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Hounds Of Wonder: A Life In Rescue Dogs
B.D. Love
Writer
Poetry, Fiction, Lyrics, Activism
NEW BOOK!
Also available by B.D. Love
Feline Inscrutable provides a sublime recounting of a coast-to-coast journey through teaching, music, region, relationships, and of course, those inscrutable felines, who sometimes bring sorrow, yet also immeasurable joy to everyday life. It is at times both deeply poignant and laugh-out-loud funny, richly detailed and written with enormous craft.
Reading the verses, you can feel the gentle, yet mildly abrasive tongue that licks, imagine the soft silken fur rippling beneath the fingers, hear the reassuring rumble of the contented purring, and embrace the sense of warmth and calm that cuddling with cats engenders. That these were all rescue cats, often with very dismal prospects before finding a forever home, makes the collection all the more delightful and endearing.
If you’ve ever loved or lived with a cat — sweet or sulky, wacky or timid, serene or rambunctious — you will be enchanted by how B.D. Love has captured the essence and grace of all of them in this wonderful volume.
-Susan Eckler
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B.D. LOVE AS LYRICIST
You can Order the CD here:
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