New Book is an Uplifting Celebration of the Hudson Valley

Sometimes it can be hard to put our love for the Hudson Valley into words. Luckily, we have artists.

A Hudson Valley photographer and writer has accepted the often-challenging task of expressing how our local snow, ice, rivers, mountains, plants, and even goats, makes this corner of the world so special.

The Hudson Valley in Photos and Prose

Ulster County resident Boe Burke has recently published his first book, Hudson Valley's Four Seasons; Captured in Poetry and Prose, with each photograph and accompanying words focusing on a specific month of the year. From January to December, Burke explores both the myriad reasons why the Hudson Valley has his heart.

Winter in the Hudson Valley

"Some might say 'cold-icy-foreboding'. However at this moment, I feel hopeful", begins Burke's ode to January. Next, February in the Hudson Valley leads Burke to be thankful for "the rest period so urgently needed", assuring our coldest month that, "You will not get any complaints from me; I see your worth in the grand scheme".

Local Love for the Hudson Valley

The prose (and occasional structed poem) is not only a celebration of what many of us already know about the Hudson Valley (our beautiful views, our abundant nature), but a reminder of the silver linings that come with some of our more challenging seasons. From the bitter winters to the sweltering summers, Burke finds magic in it all.

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Much of Burkes writing is literal ("Every day, new seekers walk; Across its planks eager to catch a sunset. Down below are quaint Victorian homes; Windows reflect June's glimmering rays", he writes about the Rosendale train trestle in June), but its the delighted optimism and gentle reminders of our connection with nature that make the collection a truly local contribution. From August:

We are walking under a canopy of trees providing much-needed shade, cooling our bodies from August's mid-summer sweltering heat... Neighbors whom we have never met stroll by, greeting us with happy faces and letting our guards down, knowing that we have one thing in common: we are listening to our souls

Burke describes his combination of words and images as "phoetry", and while the book is new, his passion for this amalgamation is not. In addition to his active Facebook and Instagram pages, Burke also contributes his photography and prose to local community groups, and was featured on this website for his phoem he created in support of Ukraine.

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Hopefully this is the first of many published offerings from an artist who so clearly has an overflowing love for all the good, the challenging, and the beautiful parts of the Hudson Valley. "My wish for my readers after reading my book; a new found appreciation for the Hudson Valley and all it has to offer", Burke says. You can learn more at BoeBurke.com, and see other beautiful images of the Hudson Valley from local artists below. .