On The Ground

This spiritually resonant and poltically urgent new collection of poems by the 2002 winner of the Lenore Marshall Award responds with moving clarity to the contrast between American imperialist goals and the realities of life lived 'on the ground'. While our minds are preoccupied with the war games we watch on television, we go on living among our ordinary joys and appetites, according to our daily desires, our routine plans. How can we live under these dissonant conditions and reconcile our existence with our longings? Howe proves herself once more to be a relevant and visceral poet.