Poetry at its best makes us think, makes us feel, makes us act upon words. Russell Buker's collected and new poetry in 9XXX: The Best of Myself offers all of that and more. Read each poem once, then read it again. Pause. Think. Feel. Read again. Walk outside or go about your day. The choice of words will astonish, the rhythms will energize and the stories within the poems will capture your imagination. Enjoy. About the author: Russell Buker recently retired from Shead High School where he taught English and Creative Writing. He has also coached for many years: football, baseball, basketball and tennis. Russell has had numerous poems accepted in many publications in the U.S. and in Canada including: The Antigonish Review, The Windrow Anthology, The Cape Breton Collection, Pottersfield Press, Goose River Anthology, Germ Magazine, Portland Press Poetry Section, The Aurorean, Felt Sun, The Aputamkan Review, Germ Magazine River Muse, Page & Spine, Maine Writes Anthology, Stoneboat, Crack the Spine, Axe Factory Press. Russell has also served on the board of editors and written book reviews for Off the Coast Review. What others say: Russell Buker has a distinctive voice, wry, capacious, and apt. From "the white now of winter" to " the bang-getty-bang of leaping summer," this book hums with charm, and leaps with good surprises. -Annie Finch, award-winning poet, and author This collection confounds and clears, the way clouds thin and revelation breaks through. From Latin to folk, these words demand and reward. -Patricia Smith Ranzoni, Poet Laureate, Bucksport, Maine"