Spinning the Compass

In poems that span the globe, M. Lee Alexander captures the essence of place in skillfully rendered verse, ranging from concrete and narrative poems to sonnets, villanelles, and a sestina. At times, the clever typography stands as noteworthy as a monument; at other times, her keen observation and rich imagery transport the reader through sites as diverse as the Smithsonian's National Zoo where "blue cranes stretch forth, tossing grasses / in their mating dance" to a Kilkenny village festival, alive "with mandolin and lute and lyre." Exceptional in musicality, the poems in Spinning the Compass are compelling, passionate, wise, and memorable. Carolyn Kreiter-Foronda, Poet Laureate of Virginia, 2006-2008