The Blue Coat

Whimsical and tender, this poetry collection examines the commonplace and the quirky for resonance, contemplation, and verve. From an out-of-season daffodil and a chipped Limoges plate to a lipstick stain on a poem and a bee being released, it illuminates the poetry in the everyday by focusing on a single image and expanding to the cusp of something larger. At times meditative, at times playful—even slightly subversive—this compilation impresses with a surety of word, a deft touch, and a polished harmony.