Broken Wing

From acclaimed author David Budbill, Broken Wing is a posthumous novel celebrating solitude, nature, and the human spirit. Set in the deep woods of Vermont, this lyrical literary fiction follows a man who lives alone in the mountains and his unexpected journey to friendship with an injured black bird. The man who lives alone in the mountains exists in solitude and simplicity. His days are spent tending his garden and observing wildlife. His nights are spent immersed in music, poetry, letter writing, and, most importantly, bird watching. As November arrives and he prepares for winter, he discovers an injured black bird, which he names Broken Wing. Drawn to its spirit of survival and freedom, he forms a profound connection that sparks inspiration and friendship. Both lyrical and reflective, Broken Wing offers a gentle mirror to the peaks and valleys of human existence and the rhythm of life. Against the backdrop of changing seasons, this nature-inspired fiction novel invites readers into a world of quiet observation, heartfelt insight, and poetic storytelling.

David Budbill (1940–2016) is the author of eight books of poems, seven plays, two novels, a collection of short stories, two picture books for children, and the libretto for an opera. He also served as an occasional commentator on National Public Radio’s All Things Considered. He is well known for his play Judevine, which is centered on the lives of people who live in a fictional Vermont town—a place of great beauty and sometimes tough living. His honors include an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from New England College, a Guggenheim Fellowship in Poetry, and a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship. David lived a humble, engaged, and passionate life in the green mountains of Vermont with his wife of 50 years, the painter Lois Eby.