Rabbit Holes: A Collection of Golden Shovel Poems

Step into a world where every poem is a journey down a rabbit hole-unexpected, intricate, and deeply human. In this inventive chapbook, Robert E. Ray pays tribute to the poetic tradition of the Golden Shovel, weaving lines from literary icons into new works that shimmer with originality and heart.
From the smoky corners of no-name pubs to the sunlit fields of Georgia, these poems traverse landscapes both real and imagined. Each piece is inspired by a master-Yeats, Hughes, Eliot, Sexton, Frost, Plath, and more-yet Ray’s voice remains unmistakably his own: honest, lyrical, and unafraid to dig into the complexities of love, loss, work, and wonder.
Accompanied by evocative pencil illustrations, Rabbit Holes invites readers to explore the bizarre, beautiful, and difficult states of being that define our lives. Whether you’re a poetry lover or a newcomer to the form, this collection offers a fresh perspective on the art of homage and the thrill of creative pursuit.