Upgraded to Serious


Heather McHugh - 2009
    Utilizing medical terminology and iconography to work through loss and detachment, McHugh’s startling rhymes and rhythms—along with her sarcastic self-reflection and infectious laughter—serve as antidotes to the sufferings of the world. Being “upgraded to serious” from critical condition is a nod to the healing powers of poetry."Not to Be Dwelled On"Self-interest cropped up even there,the day I hoisted three insteadof the ceremonially called-for twospadefuls of loamonto the coffin of my friend.Why shovel more than anybody else?What did I think I’d prove? More love(mud in her eye)? More will to work?(Her father what, a shirker?) Christ,what wouldn’t anybody giveto get that gesture back?She cannot die again; and Ido nothing but re-live.

The Blackstone Legacy: The Long Hot Summer / Very Private Duty


Rochelle Alers - 2011
    He's got a young son he adores, a legacy and a family to be proud of. He's not looking for anything else. And the last thing on Kelly Andrews's mind is romance when she accepts a job at the famous Blackstone stud farm. But when she meets sexy Ryan, she begins to question her resolve to remain faithful to her deceased husband's memory. Soon tensions and passions create a heat wave of unspoken need and maybe a chance for new beginnings…Very Private DutyAt one time, nothing was able to quench Jeremy Blackstone's insatiable hunger for luscious Tricia Parker. Even though they were from different worlds, he lived for their passion–filled encounters. Then ugly accusations of her betrayal ripped them apart…Years later Tricia has come home to help her grandfather, not to rekindle her affair with the man who broke her heart. But when federal agent Jeremy is injured and needs her nursing skills, staying by his bedside rekindles a sensuous yearning that Tricia cannot control. The magnetic closeness they once shared ignites an irresistible attraction that pulls them together once again…

The Immortal Soul Salvage Yard


Beth May - 2021
    The topics may vary widely, from love to mental illness to the most recent "Florida Man" headline, but it's all in the same handwriting. Welcome to The Immortal Soul Salvage Yard.

National Anthem


Kevin Prufer - 2008
    Set in an apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic world that is disturbing because it is uncannily familiar, National Anthem chronicles the aftermath of the failure of imperial vision. Allowing Rome and America to bleed into one another, Prufer masterfully weaves the threads of history into an anthem that is as intimate as it is far-reaching.

Secular Love: poems


Michael Ondaatje - 1985
    Ondaatje is said to care more about the relationship between art and nature than any other poet since the Romantics.

Counting Blessings-Wit and Wisdom for Women


Kerry Blair - 2008
    Like a wise and witty friend, Kerry leads you through the rough spots of life by poking gentle fun in such a vivacious way that you’ll be smiling at your own foibles. You’ll laugh out loud—and be moved to tears—as you discover some of life’s greatest truths hidden within these simple pages. Reclaim your sanity and enrich your soul with this humorous and poignant anthology that celebrates the joy of being alive and shows how greatly each of us is blessed."

because of a woman


Malanda Jean-Claude - 2015
    His fear of commitment doesn’t allow him to settle in one place until he loses everything.Whether it’s lost love, finding yourself or seeking companionship in lonely places ― this is for you.Delivered with witty metaphors, Malanda allows for his readers to embark on a journey with him. Every page is a layer of truth as he fights to understand himself and his counterparts redefining what it is to be a man in a ‘stoic-male’ society.

Mortal Acts Mortal Words


Galway Kinnell - 1980