Ghost Dogs e-bog

Ghost Dogs, Dion O'Reilly's fine first poetry collection, will haunt you the way art should. Bristling with pain, wit, desire, and tenderness, these poems investigate not only "e;the daily harms"e; of an abusive childhood, but the deep solace non-human animals can offer. In vivid, sensual detail, O'Reilly conjures her companions: mastiffs with "e;sad, sagging faces,"e; a beloved chestnut mare's "e;glowing coat,"e; a green parrot who has managed to "e;fill a space in the chaos."e; She doesn't sugarcoat or flinch from suffering--her own or others'--she transforms it. Line by crackling line, image by unforgettable image. Contemplating her bruised knees in the poem "e;Given,"e; she asks, "e;Is there a way to make it wonderful?"e; Ghost Dogs provides us an answer, a resounding yes. --Ellen Bass