Face Painting in the Dark

Poetry. "This is a luminous debut collection by Ann Cefola. In her own unique voice, her narratives possess relaxed rhythms, fresh and, at times, startling imagery that are infused with grace and intelligence. The entire collection is a journey grounded with emotional precision as found in the poems 'Blue Moon,' 'Still Life,' and 'Dance in the City.' It is also a journey through the day-to-day locales that we all recognize, but tend to overlook. In the hands of this gifted poet, these locales often transform into the sensual and exotic. Read FACE PAINTING IN THE DARK closely and you will revisit the classical themes of love, loss then ultimately redemption and hope. Here are poems where you will find, 'the moon bursting forth' and in the end what it truly means to be human."—Kevin Pilkington "The powerful images in Ann Cefola's FACE PAINTING IN THE DARK force us to abandon our anchors in any particular place or time. In language that is at once magical, lucid and specific, the narrator addresses her identity as defined by social conventions, by literature, and by her (and our) personal experience. Cefola's images celebrate the miracle of life as it is renewed every day."—Nahid Rachlin