The Woods ~
Trails and
Tangents
Observations and imaginings from the Northwoods
THE WOODS ~ TRAILS AND TANGENTS draws from my forty years in Wisconsin's Northwoods, where chipmunks lock eyes with poets at dusk, ancient boulders speak across geological time, and microscopic realms reveal ecological fragility. These poems, observed and imagined, all ringing true, range from traditional sonnets to spare haiku, playful humor to ecological witness. They will resonate with anyone who finds the woods precious and fragile. In an age of environmental urgency, I don't preach—I watch, listen, and report what the woods reveal when we're willing to sit still and let being be enough.
Stan Winarski
Poet
Peaceful moments and playful humor, free verse and iambic lines, syllabic stanzas and rhymed verse, you will find a bit of everything in The Woods ~ Trails and Tangents. Winarski’s poems will take you through fields and forests across the seasons. “Imagine rocks dreaming of wings” and savor these poems like “a snow day, a lightly blow day, a take it slow day.”
Katrina Serwe, author of First Steps: Poemwalking the Ice Age National Scenic Trail in the Northern Kettle Moraine
What Poets are Saying.
Stan Winarski’s The Woods ~ Trails and Tangents helps the reader set modern-day technology and distractions aside for a quiet, reflective walk in the woods. His observations on the intricacies and connectedness of humanity to our natural world are always keen and poignant. His style radiates a feel of classic poetry of long ago but is heightened by his fresh perspective. This collection is required reading for anyone seeking the solace granted by a walk among the trees and ferns.
Jim Landwehr, author of Tea in the Pacific Northwest, Thoughts From a Line at the DMV, Genetically Speaking, and more.
Pre-orders
Pre-orders open January 26, 2026 at the prepublication price of $14.99. Price increases to $20 after April 3, 2026. Books ship the week of May 29.
To be notified when preorders go live, check back here or email me @ woodstrailsandtangents@gmail.com
Note: Books ship directly from the publisher in late May, so there will be a gap between ordering and delivery..