Agha Shahid Ali : "In line after line， Martin Walls' each small human detail is so restlessly brilliant that it leaves even his angel short of breath. After all， this poet knows how to "flirt with the world." But guided by his open concealments and， at times， humor， one willingly goes， in care of him， all the way to the door of the sea- which he so magically cracks open." Marianne Boruch "In fact， I simply love this work--its intelligence， its grace and patience and surprise， its "small human detail" which nevertheless enlarges the world. Martin Walls' poems have the stillness and depth of genuine meditations， be they about wrecking yards or cicadas， great aunts or x-rays， the Wabash River or the poor lost soul who throws himself before a train while the town fills up with the corn refinery's "sweet-sick smell of syrup." That syrup in there--to feel the sadness in such a thing... What I mean is--this is a poet you can trust with the whole terrible and lovely business." See all Editorial Reviews