The title Bagatelles captures the light spirit of the brief poems, some with playful nuances and others more penetrating. From the French, the word suggests a trifle, even a game, and composers Ludwig von Beethoven and Gerald Finzi have written short classical pieces, often just a minute or two in length. In these traditions, Thomas Bonner, Jr.'s poems touch on daily life, places and customs, troublesome issues, visual moments, and questions of self. Like the musical bagatelles, these poems avoid pretention and aim toward a joy of life.