Contributor books

“Ann E. Michael’s poems of fullness and emptiness combine keen observation, philosophical questions, and a refreshing groundedness that invite the reader into complex, cleanly crafted contemplations of ordinary moments—moments turned extraordinary through her clear-eyed vision and delicious language. Smart, surprising, and wry, these poems honor equally the losses and the gains. A rich and rewarding collection.” —Hayden Saunier, author of A Cartography of Home

“Barefoot Girls offers a series of narrative, lyrical, persona poems backgrounded in Springsteen’s 1st three albums but projected through a girl’s perspective. The poems, inspired by memories of late adolescence, relate the stories of young women navigating sexuality, feminism, intellectual growth, and the urge to escape from “my hometown.” The 24 pieces in this chapbook represent a selection of a larger series of poems Ann E. Michael has written that explore female teen dynamics, such as the common feelings of otherness when the young person recognizes adulthood looms, and as parental and social expectations press her to follow proscribed behaviors.”

“In The Capable Heart, Ann Michael evokes the wild beauty and power of horses that move us deeply and simultaneously call us to rein them in. Layered metaphor and images born of passionate attention describe the richly sensuous and spiritual encounter between women and horses: the caution and the ensuing trust, the strength arising from their closeness. We learn of the discipline between horse and rider that teaches a young daughter “who she is and who she will be,” of a mother's awakening to the restraints of her own domesticity-whether to follow the unbridled urges of her heart or to don the traces, bearing “with good will the burdens others impose . . . and pull for love.” These are moving, carefully crafted poems that earn our trust and build a world we enter and live in, which is what good poetry does.” - Paul Martin, author of Closing Distances

Finishing Line Press, 2006.

“Ann Michael’s poems combine music, formal dexterity, and insight into a synthesis that’s as pleasurable as a perfect meal. The poems can be somber and delightful in the same breath as she explores “the gradual dispersal of / everyday occurrences.” She lifts the lid on life and family moments–bee keeping, horse rearing, mothering–with lines that feel more discovered than written. Michael approaches it all with a mix of seriousness, honesty, and playfulness. I have been waiting for a book like this.” - Grant Clauser, author of Muddy Dragon on the Road to Heaven

“It is my contention that true peace is not static but mobile, resilient, transforming. Wilhelm's translation of the I Ching says of T'ai (Peace): “The Receptive, which moves downward, stands above; the Creative, which moves upward, is below. Hence their influences meet and are in harmony, so that all living things bloom and prosper...at which time the forces of nature prepare the new spring.” What I attempted to do when choosing the poems for this collection was to celebrate the harmonious energy of spring as well as  to acknowledge the past and future seasons that make up our lives collectively and individually. Some of these actual and metaphorical seasons are not those of prosperity and balance, but the I Ching is, after all, the Book of Changes.”