revelation. Written by the poet with no thought to their commercial publication and discovered by happenstance by the publisher, these poems explore the highs and lows of everyday living with metaphors -- " rosebuds stillborn in the falling snow" -- that astonish the reader with their force and simplicity. Often disarming in their brevity, the poems in this collection -- written to be read out loud -- are a joy to the ear, crafted with carefully calibrated rhythms, innovative rhymes and a word choice that never fails to surprise. " Your tongue/ stiletto sharp/ finds its mark. You always know just where to cut." As the first poem in this collection warns, these poems barge right into your consciousness, uninvited guests.