~ Betsy Sholl, Rough Cradle (Alice James 2009)

          I just read a review copy of this book and enjoyed it thoroughly.  This particular poem came to mind when a colleague of mine wrote a poem called, “To Play the Blues.”  Not that it didn’t stand up on its own, but my mind immediately went back to Sholl’s poem, and I just thought I’d share it with all ten of you, my faithful readers.

          ~TM

          ~Erin Belieu, Infanta (Copper Canyon, 1995)

Sometimes someone gets it just right.  Belieu teaches at FSU where my friend KJ Evans is headed come August.

          ~TM

          ~April Ossmann, Anxious Music (Four Way Books, 2007)

This book moved me at moments.  This is one of those moments.

          ~TM

          ~Carolyn Forché, Gathering the Tribes (Yale Winner, 1976)

To be honest, it was not my favorite book, but this was still a very attractive poem for my tastes.

          ~TM

          ~Weldon Kees, The Collected Poems of Weldon Kees (U. of Nebraska, 1962)

Really one of the most interesting poets of the twentieth century, Weldon Kees largely goes unnoticed (or at minimum underappreciated).  It’s a shame too.  If you haven’t read his collected works you’re doing yourself a disservice. 

          ~TM