"In Season and Out," a volume of poetry by Francis Fike, professor emeritus of English at Hope College, has recently been published by Equilibrium Books in Rockingham, Australia.
The 37 poems in the book are divided into three sections, or "seasons": seasons of the mind--on human relationships, attitudes, and behaviors; seasons of the earth--on the cycles and restorative powers of nature and encounters with animals; and seasons of the spirit--on occasions of encountering the Holy.
"In Season and Out" is Fike's fifth book of poetry. "Underbrush" (1986), "In the Same Rivers" (1989), and "Off and On" (2000) were published by Robert L. Barth of Florence, Ky. And "After the Serpent's Word" was published by Fithian Press of Santa Barbara, Calif., in 1997. His poems have also appeared in literature anthologies and in many well-known literary journals, including "The Classical Outlook," "The Epigrammatist," "The Formalist," "Hellas" and "The Southern Review." His religious poems have been published in "Anglican Theological Review," "Perspectives" and "The Church Herald."
Fike received his B.A. from Duke University and a master of divinity degree from Union Theological Seminary. He was awarded a Stegner Fellowship in Creative Writing at Stanford University, where he earned an M.A. in creative writing (poetry), with Yvor Winters as his mentor, then a Ph.D. with an emphasis in Victorian literature.
He joined the Hope faculty in 1968 and taught at the college until his retirement in 1998. He taught previously at Cornell University.
Fike is author of many scholarly articles and reviews, including studies of a wide range of British and American literature and studies combining theology and literature. He has also published personal essays, most notably "A Skulk of Foxes," which appeared in "Audubon" magazine in 1984. He serves as poetry editor for "Perspectives" magazine.
Copies of "In Season and Out" are available at the Hope-Geneva Bookstore in the DeWitt Center on the Hope College campus.