Lilith Walks by Susan M. Schultz

Flash realism—this is what Susan Schultz presents in an album of vignette encounters: histories of “ordinary pain”; social attentiveness during the extra-dramatic 2020-21; resonant, revealing comments; the micro-allegories of the detail. Where we lived and what. . . . .provoked us, hurts concealed and yet palpable are made lucid in Schultz’s languages of mixing empathy and annoying tests of equanimity. This humane book, interconnected with her dogged, personable companion, Lilith, investigates life’s multifaceted and poignant zones.

—Rachel Blau DuPlessis

Rousseau never really went solo. Flush was a camp feminist. The finest flaneurs didn’t get too proud to beg don't let me be lonely. Same goes for Susan M. Schultz, taking tips while picking poops from alpha disobedient cutey, Lilith. Having long pricked her ears “sussing out voices and angles of thinking,” Schultz here emulates (practices) peripatetic equanimity—whether one's most recent passerby brought sniffs, kisses, or snarls. With death striding seven times faster than they told us, but with a few musty bones still to dig, why not thrust one’s schnoz through the ground cover? Why not pause, change directions, slip the harness when it counts? Maybe, some days, the rabid COVID-deniers carry tastier treats in their pouch, or take the most care picking stingers from paws. Maybe (as for we who live for pups) Lilith Walks can let us lap them up all the more.

— Andy Fitch

In "Lilith Walks", Susan Schultz celebrates the community where she lives and episodes of life of all sizes in tandem with this irreverent, cheery, "strutting" pup. Dogs are not only good for thinking with -- but for walking and seeing with, as Lilith demonstrates. You'll be glad to have met her -- and you'd be lucky to walk with her.

—Alexandra Horowitz, author of "On looking: A walker's guide to the art of observation"

"I walk the path of this prose, its unique smells, politics and personalities. Some parts I will never see from Lilith's perspective. The poets discomforting run ins. Neighborly polemic rants and QAnon aside this too is my neighborhood. My country. Some of these jack ass characters; beloved fellow citizens.

A few weeks ago an unassuming plain looking speculator slightly balding overweight white chap moved into the unit across from me with a $200k car. I am not sure how he fit in this car. It was so low to the ground. It was a virtually empty house with a car the value of a down-payment in front.

He left about a week ago with a "Open House For Sale" sign out front over the weekend. Lilith chased chickens there. Pooped just right around the back of his unit. Long live Lilith."

—Kevin Chang is from the neighborhood. He is an attorney, musician and non-profit Executive Director at Kua'aina Ulu Auamo a network facilitation organization serving a movement in rural and Native Hawaiian communities to care for Hawai'i's environment from the grassroots.

Susan M. Schultz, having retired from the University of Hawai`i, now walks Lilith and takes photographs on O`ahu and the Big Island. She is author of many books of poetic prose, including Dementia Blog and “She’s Welcome to Her Disease: Dementia Blog, Vol.2, as well as several volumes of Memory Cards. Her most recent book is I Want to Write an Honest Sentence. For over 22 years she edited and published Tinfish Press.

Book Information:

· Paperback: 104 pages
· Binding: Perfect-Bound
· Publisher: BlazeVOX [books]
· ISBN: 978-1-60964-420-8