About the Book

Poet Earl J. Wilcox takes readers on an evocative journey through the pages of his debut collection, The Surfacing of Joy. With an exquisite blend of introspection and observation, Wilcox weaves a tapestry of emotions and experiences that celebrate the richness of a life well-lived.

In this compelling collection, written in the years since Wilcox’s retirement from Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South Carolina, Wilcox delves into the multifaceted seasons of living, drawing inspiration from his roles as an educator, scholar, devoted husband, father, grandfather, and cherished friend and community member to many. Through his masterful use of language, he navigates the complex terrain of human connection, inviting readers to explore their own sense of place and relationship to the world around them.

Wilcox's voice is a beacon of insight and empathy, seamlessly guiding us through his personal experiences of joy and pleasure, as well as moments of loss and grief. As we journey alongside him, we come to realize that his heartfelt narratives mirror our own, illuminating the universal truths that bind us together in the shared human experience.

Through Wilcox’s deft poetic voice, we are reminded that life's most profound moments often emerge in the company of others. This debut collection is a testament to the enduring power of poetry to inspire, uplift, and connect.

What others are saying:

“Earl Wilcox writes with heart—a heart that beats with baseball; a heart that races with news of politics, peace, and war; a heart that murmurs elegies for the famous and the celebrated; a heart that breaks for the trials visited on the rest of us. But Earl does not wear his heart on a sentimental sleeve; rather he embeds it in craft and artistry developed over—dare I say it—a very long lifetime. And yet it is ‘The urge to know what lies / Ahead more than gone before,’ as Earl has elsewhere written, that you will find and feel in this book.”— James Penha, The New Verse News

“Like a well-loved chest, handed down through time, The Surfacing of Joy is a catalog of vistas and snapshots and left-behind notes, hidden in secret drawers, to be discovered anew, in the mystery of language well played. The scholar’s ear is in the cadence, but the joy is clearly in the expedition.”— Evelyne Weeks, Poet and Educator

“Like Robert Frost, a poet whom Earl has long studied and admired, Earl writes about nature and its inhabitants—with care, with humor, and with precision. He writes about baseball; for him, it truly is “America’s game.” He pulls the reader into current events, sometimes with humor, sometimes with despair, and sometimes with cutting irony. He captures the joy of time with loved ones and the pain of their departures. And he reminds us of the endurance of the human spirit. His poetry moves us from smiles of joy and nostalgia to tears of sorrow and loss. These poems are not for a single read: they must be read, and re-read, and feasted upon.”— Gloria G. Jones, Professor Emeritus (Winthrop University)