Empty Pool

<p>Neither essays nor prose poems the pieces in <em>Empty Pool</em> propose a new genre: the essay poem. Vivid and restless Zapata's mind ranges through motherhood octopi the Covid pandemic photography extinction dogs translation birds memory recipes reading aloud and people who live as if they are contestants in a sinister gossiptransmission contest organized by some telecommunications company. Each of these haunting ephemeral fragmentary and of- ten funny works beautifully brought into English by Robin Myers offers a unique and piercing amalgam of the intellectual energy and engagement of the essay and the verbal agility silence and ambiguity of poetry. Esther Allen</p>