The burnings from which Coleman culls her work casts a glow and unique warmth that invites the reader to sit by her metaphorical hearth, to laugh and enjoy their “conversation.” The contemplative and philosophical have entered her voice as she continues to explore the conflicts and confusions that shape the aesthetic terrain of Southern California and beyond-as she continues to grapple with cultural bias, malignant domestic neglect, poverty, and the damages of racism, yet broadening her palette of social ills to include the privacies of grief, loss and transcendence. A nominee and finalist for Poet Laureate of California, she continues to reflect the ethnic scramble of Los Angeles, where she has been honored by proclamations from the cityAEs elected officials, including the mayorAEs office, the city council and the Department of Cultural Affairs.

About the Author
Wanda Coleman was a poet and writer from Los Angeles, California. Her numerous poetry collections included Mercurochrome: New Poems, nominated for the National Book Award; Bathwater Wine, winner of the Lenore Marshall Poetry Prize; Ostinato Vamps; and The

Reviews
Coleman presents a series of subtle and revelatory poems in her new collection. . . . Coleman's ability to simultaneously conjure the tactile and the abstract makes her works crackle with life and inspire multiple interpretations. . . . Coleman's aching and meditative poetry gives voice to inquiries and echoes. -Booklist



Book Information
ISBN 9780822961642
Author Wanda Coleman
Format Paperback
Page Count 144
Imprint University of Pittsburgh Press
Publisher University of Pittsburgh Press