Together in a Sudden Strangeness

There is something for everyone in this timely poetry collection. Varied voices ring throughout the performances, ranging from quiet to cacophonous. The narrators are well matched to the style of each poem, moving from sassily irreverent to coolly somber. The order of the poems is also suitable, carrying the listener from joy to despair to hope and back again. Assembled over 40 days in the early spring of 2020, these poems are affecting. Some pieces may be over-the-top in their resonance, but they are all relatable to the sheltering-in-place listener. As always, poetry can offer a bit of brightness to those living in challenging times: "Two pilot lights flickering where their hearts used to be."--Billy Collins, "Sequestration" L.B.F. � AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine