Comets: Relationships That Wander

Annie Newcomer's first poetry collection brims with insight and attention to the rich, often fraught details of childhood and the struggles of adult life. Nuanced, compassionate and alert, Newcomer's poems shine a loving light on an American family's history while casting their nets much wider than the few individuals they are ostensibly about. Whether recalling a disabled sister's short life, musing over crazily hoarding neighbors, or discovering a husband's secret love of poetry, Newcomer's gentle wisdom permeates what it means to be alive in uncertain times. Annie Newcomer writes with keen awareness of family bonds. In so doing she uncovers a web of potent memories wrapped up inside them. Not satisfied to stop at personal reflection, however, her poetic intention seeks to remind the reader that there are wrongs in this world and we each have social and political responsibilities to consider when weighing fairness and justice. This is the season for Annie's voice to be heard among poets.