Little Mercy by Robin Walter

[Jen]

This is a quiet understated book of rural nature poetry that takes us through outward transformations and some personal transformations that are referred to very subtly for the most part. There's a sense of beauty, sensuality and tragedy over the course of the book. Some of the poems are very short and many of them are composed of short sections separated by a centered dot. It won the Academy of American Poets First Book Award for 2024. I personally prefer something less subtle but it was a lovely read none the less.