Many of our readers will recognize the jagged and ruminating coyote with his scraggly beard, twig ear, and inky backgrounds. This Zen master’s creator, Neal Crosbie, has been contributing illustrations to Tricycle for over twelve years. A regular feature in our cartoon space in “Letters to the Editor”, Crosbie’s vignettes show the canoe-riding coyote musing on The Big Questions: “thank you for letting me come here to talk about my mountains. they were here and now they’re gone and so forth. it is said we will soon enter nirvana. what’s the hold up?” and giving curious advice: “THE NAVAJOS WERE RIGHT: for more info see a Navajo.”
For the first time Crosbie offers a collection of his wise, strange, and surprising illustrations in EVERYTHING BE OK, a book he self-published last year. With more ink Crosbie allows his sage further mountain- and cloud-filled room to animate his poetry. In this medium—where noble truths often come in four frames—the coyote’s wistful and quiet world invites us to step in for a cup of tea and stay a while. And if we do, we’ll find ourselves pursuing last night’s rain, crossing the great river, taking our leave with the pine wind, and seeing what coyotes do when no one’s looking.
At times melancholy and lonely, EVERYTHING BE OKAY is also funny, charming, and inspiring. I feel the same way about this book as the coyote does about life: “ cucumbers. incredible. life is good. I recommend it to everybody.”
For a copy of EVERYTHING BE OK, visit Neal Crosbie’s website.
– Alexandra Kaloyanides, Senior Editor
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