God, Maybe

Imagery and metaphor dance –– sometimes a bonfire dance, sometimes a boudoir dance, often a danse macabre –– through this book of poetry as they lead the reader from the early rituals and conundrums of humankind through history –– The Calf Bearer of the Acropolis, the paintings of Luca Signorelli and Caravaggio, the eastern shore of the Potomac River as homeland of the Picowaxen Nation, the Philadelphia witch trial of Margaret Mattson and Yeshro Hendrickson of 1683, St. Louis Cardinals' baseball games heard over the radio plus small town carnivals of the 1950's, and Stephen Hawking –– to present ancient and contemporary people who sought, and continue to seek their paths through the universe.

A key image in the book is the Nine Men's Morris square. Grids for this strategic game of alignment and control have been found around the globe, in the fragments of Mycenae, incised in temple slabs in Egypt, shrine steps in Sri Lanka, planks of a Viking ship, and ancient cloister seats and church pews throughout Europe.

Poet Trish Reeves demonstrates a fine ear for the rhythms of each dance, and a dedication to craft. Her awards include fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, and Yaddo, and the Cleveland State Poetry Center Prize for her first book.