Book Synopsis
“A poet’s gift to readers is the revelation of a truth they never considered before, and yet, upon reading the words, realize they somehow always knew. A poet’s job in this day and age is to do so without pretense, condescension or a fusillade of arcane references. We all have Google now, Mr. Eliot, thank you very much. A poet’s art is the legerdemain to keep the reader engaged so entirely in the moment that one never sees the power that is coming when the poem springs to life in its final pounce. In that way a poem, even a small one, can leave readers with the sense that they will never be quite the same again. Few poets of any era have those gifts to share, the enterprise to do their job well and the artistry to raise the form to a new and higher place. Michael Chrisman is one.”
Michael Tallon
Antigua, Guatemala, 2013