Judith Hall (1) (1951–)

Not a magnum opus, but a very competent and intensely personal one. The book has an almost murmuring style, yet subtly manipulates sound. She also takes advantage of such forms as the sonnet, villanelle, and one whose name I can't remember at the moment but involves a line from each quatrain showing up in the next. Themes include family/fathers, touch/sensuality, pictures, blame/complicity, fantasy/escape/costume, flowers/nature, memory/childhood, femininity, the exotic, and etymology.

Taking off my clothes for money,
Like taking off my body

Or taking from this evening its
Severance from the past,
So kisses distract and substitute
And suffocate the last--

I bring all this to bed with me,
As anecdotes, of course,
Looking at you as though you dream
Heroics, waking before

The shooting starts.

from "Ballad Aubade"… (meer)