Ruined Traveler

Poetry. RUINED TRAVELER is a collection built on the premise of tension and association. Prose poems are compressed within rigid margins to heighten pressure on the language, short poems explode from the right margin, and long segmented poems ("Ruined Traveler" and "from Her Book of Difficulties") are interwoven throughout the work, creating cross-poem conversations. Somehow, this dreamy mix stays grounded by a strict commitment to form. Ashley's collection sheds light on a troubling shadow world for the reader to enter, find a place to stand, and enjoy the show.