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Annotated by:
- Kohn, Martin
- Date of entry: Mar-08-1998
Summary
A very accessible collection of poems with wonderful use of language and very strong imagery. Some, in particular "Baby Random" and "Between Rounds" offer a nurse’s perspective on caregiving. Other themes include abuse and abusive relationships, married and unmarried life, and in general the seeking and giving of refuge. There are also recurring figures/persons throughout the collection which give the work an almost narrative flow.
Miscellaneous
The author is a nurse, and teaches creative writing. This book was a winner of the 1989 Associated Writing Programs’ award series in poetry and the Washington Prize, 1991.
Publisher
Univ. of Pittsburgh Press
Place Published
Pittsburgh
Edition
1989
Page Count
72
Commentary
I think what speaks loudest in this collection is the poet’s ability to express the richness of everyday life (whether in a laundromat, greasy spoon, hospital room, or train station) lived on the edge. As one reviewer put it, there is a jazz scat feel to the poems, and that is the pulse of this book--a book that cries to be read aloud.