“A mellow saga informed by a life of scholarship”

In the pages of Interbeing, Gene Bianchi continues his spiritual exploration of aging through the medium of poetry. This collection is a mellow saga informed by a life of scholarship and an ever-increasing sensitivity to nature and her rhythms. His poems are inspired by mystics and wisdom writers as well as his beloved cats Max and Tony and a slowly dying cherry tree.

But this set of poems is not just contemplative. Worldly concerns are evident, especially in the third section on Eco-Spirituality. Gene asks, “will we find the courage / to work against the greenhouse end, / and become the caring ancestors / in the memory of generations to come?”

Step into his world. Despite “stiff joints and deeper fatigue” and the “suffering of sentient beings,” Gene invites us to “greet the day / on our screened porch enveloped in birdsong, / with the smell of fresh coffee bringing hope … healing our moments even in decline.”

— Bob Ambrose, Jr., Journey to Embarkation