Bold, individualistic, and innovative, this book combines art and poetry to form a unique linguistic and visual journey that bumps along roads where nature, the self, and free-spirited folks freely roam. The Eliot-like poem "The Normal Door w/o Trial and Error" invites readers into a realm of philosophical contemplation, one driven by the continual repetition of the phrases "As I walk through it" and "As I walk up to it." Other poems like "Light is Free" declare, "This is the reason to stay alive, / to see," providing readers with an optimism that is often difficult to come by. In "The New Girl," readers meet a "rattler" of a person "prone to soliloquy," "forensic and formal," who reveals her true, selfish nature to those around her. Walden-like "Two Moons No Longer Grazing" summons nasturtiums, baying dogs, and smiling constellations as a narrator looks to nature and sees their being reflected in nature's glories.

What is most intriguing about this collection is its incorporation of sketches and drawings. Through this artwork, snippets of a phrase, theme, or concept from a poem take form, providing visual access for readers. While the poems portray one set of emotions, thoughts, and philosophies, the artwork shows another. Though the selections and the illustrations often collaborate, each also stands independently, forming a unique duality that allows readers to "create" their own reading experience. The perfect afternoon or morning companions for poetry readers of all ages and backgrounds, the poems in this collection stand tall, each bearing a message waiting for the right eye, ear, or mind. Poetry enthusiasts inclined to appreciate the offerings of poetry masters like T.S. Eliot and William Carlos Williams are sure to find a few new favorites in this work.

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