Bark

"Over the years, in John's nineteen acclaimed books of poetry, his poems about the dogs in his life have consistenly stood out as reader favorites. In this little volume, we've gathered togethered the very best of those poems, plus added some new ones. Enjoy!"—Wolfgang Carstens, Epic Rites Press
"John Yamrus, as a poet, is like an expert skeet shooter that hits the clay pigeon no matter what the speed, angle or trajectory; in poem after poem, his sharp mind nails its target every time."—Rob Plath
"The poems fall down the page with grace and read with deceptive ease, painted in plain language with strong brush strokes. John Yamrus makes it look easy."—Milner Place
"John Yamrus writes the kind of poetry that punches right through to the core of his reader's hearts. He is a poet who needs no validation from the literary or academic establishment."—Devin McGuire
"John Yamrus seamlessly surfs the boundary between humour and despair."—George Anderson
"John Yamrus doesn't waste a single word."—William Taylor Jr.
"John Yamrus builds a poem the way a kitchen table or sacred armchair tells a story; punchy, sentimental, and ruthlessly honest."—Lawrence Gladeview
"These poems, which appear, with their short lines and conversational quickness, to be somewhat breezy, in fact demand the reader plunge into their complexity."—Mark Statman
"Two major qualities prevail in Yamrus' recent work: economy and punch. No word is unnecessary or out of place; the timing is impeccable; and, most difficult of all, the endings hit just the right balance of summation, revelation, and surprise."—Gerald Locklin