Tamped, But Loose Enough to Breathe

In this collection, Mark Todd explores the interaction of man and nature with respect and an obvious delight. Whether it's the grit and unrestrained passion of men laying the railroad or the hope-turne-to-despair of young love, Todd's narrative collection is a panoramic view of humanity in all its forms. "It's watchful journeyed roads/ that can draw in our thoughts,/ naked honestly fixed/ on what each bend brings, each/ lurch in the grade ahead./ Roads worth the traveling."