Award-winning poet Ed Roberson confronts the realities of an era in which the fate of humanity and the very survival of our planet are uncertain. The poems in this collection respond to both ecological crisis and social instability and unrest. Seamlessly intertwining reflections on the natural world and moments of personal interiority with images of urbanscapes, environmental crises, and political issues, the poet depicts a world of connection. Throughout, Roberson takes up the ancient spiritual concern —the ephemerality of life—and gives us a new language to process the feeling of living in a century on the brink.

Finalist for Griffin International Poetry Prize, given by The Griffin Trust for Excellence in Poetry, 2022

Award-winning poet Ed Roberson confronts the realities of an era in which the fate of humanity and the very survival of our planet are uncertain. Departing from the traditional nature poem, Roberson's work reclaims a much older tradition, drawing into poetry's orbit what the physical and human sciences reveal about the state of a changing world. These poems test how far the lyric can go as an answer to our crisis, even calling into question poetic form itself. Reflections on the natural world and moments of personal interiority are interwoven with images of urbanscapes, environmental crises, and political instabilities. These poems speak life and truth to modernity in all its complexity. Throughout, Roberson takes up the ancient spiritual concern—the ephemerality of life—and gives us a new language to process the feeling of living in a century on the brink.

Morello's Venice


startled to hear the doctor say
this would be the last time he would see it,
a person used to keeping things alive
talking terminus —         even more

startled when he returned
to hear him say it wasn't there
there were terrible rains
bookings cancelled.

when late he arrived,
everything was gone.
his wife had a cold.

they bundled together in blankets.
he refilled my prescription to
restore my soul.

Title • Asked What Has Changed • A Drop of Water • After • First Person • The Way We Are • The Land • The Street Knows It's Changed • Speculation • Outlook • The Corner Unit • Documentation • Fall Open on the Statue's Lap • Alley, Here We Call Them "Way" • Deer Scare: Answer with Missing Riddle • Trace • The Insect Ephemera • Morello's Venice • The Empty of the Bottlenecks • The Child in Fellini's Satyricon Bacchanal Scene • The Hold of Extinction • The Listening • Millimeters of Corneal Tissue • Light on the Threshold • Sand • Wine-dark Sea • The Universal Ephemeral • Mutable Point of Axis • Mutable Point of Access • To Those Who Would Skate the Larger Surface • The Old Homology • Eye Ear Nose and Throat • Eco Echo Etude • loco moveri • Sense • Kingfisher • Swallows Are Making the Sky Crazy • Cascade • Color Change • Luxe • Luxe: coming issue • Once the Magnolia Has Blossomed • Falling Stars upon Which to Wish • Distant Nearness of Gravity • The Glorious Revolution of Bouquets • SurFace • Picture • Round • Wave Ravine • Levitations into Air • The Dot Flashes • Covenant • Closer • Runoff • Ice Man • Defer to Like • Moon Jar, Century Unclear • The Times