by Larry Christianson
Paperback
ISBN 0-87839-292-0
Poet and pastor Larry Christianson captures the essence of the wilderness experience in a new book of poems that draw from 35 years of canoe country travel. Beyond Time, Poems from North of the Tension Line brings to life the wilderness moments that lend themselves to quiet reflection or sudden insight, from careful contemplation of the twilight hour to a nighttime visit from a black bear. Christianson also delves into the inner wilderness in all of us, where we seek renewal and insight from our intuition and inner strength.
A resident of Waconia, MN, Christianson’s focus on the upper Midwest and the Boundary Waters Wilderness Area Wilderness, but wilderness canoeists everywhere will see elements of their own experiences reflected in his poems. In a down-to-earth, simple style he captures all parts of the “up north experience,” from moments on trail to the gateway roads and communities leading there. It’s all “north of the tension line,” and Christianson’s new book allows canoeists to bring a piece of the experience into their living rooms.
This article appeared in Wilderness News Fall 2008