SKULL

<p><em>SKULL </em>explores themes of harm trauma pain illness and healing from brain injury sustained in the context of our collective trying times.</p><p></p><p>---------------</p><p></p><p class=ql-align-justify><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(34 34 34 1)>Amy Baskin's tight new collection </span><em style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(34 34 34 1)>Skull</em><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(34 34 34 1)> begins with the disorientation of an accident which then moves into its aftermath-the squint-eyed way we navigate a world of dark and light post-trauma trying to survive what happens to around and inside of us. With precise and vivid language to render this imprecision and uncertainty Baskin's </span><em style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(34 34 34 1)>Skull</em><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(34 34 34 1)> fits the moment in our contemporary world as we all work through collective injury struggling to focus our eyes.</span></p><p><strong style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(34 34 34 1)>-Justin Hamm author of <em>O Death </em>and <em>Drinking Guinness with the Dead</em> </strong></p><p></p><p class=ql-align-justify></p><p class=ql-align-justify><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(34 34 34 1)>Amy Baskin's visceral candid poetry reminds us that personal and societal calamities are inextricably linked. These heartbreaking tales of persistence and self-love filled with the things of life-parenting aging fear desire-reveal a path toward healing with songs compelling enough to </span><em style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(34 34 34 1)>embolden [us] to face the storm.</em></p><p><strong style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(34 34 34 1)>-Christopher Luna author of <em>Voracity </em>Poet Laureate of Clark County WA (2013-2017)</strong></p><p></p><p class=ql-align-justify></p><p class=ql-align-justify><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(34 34 34 1)>In </span><em style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(34 34 34 1)>Skull</em><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(34 34 34 1)> Amy Baskin explores loss in an unflinching yet uplifting way. While abilities may change people time and places that we lose stay with us. Amy probes the deepest parts of grief and injury creating a neural pathway of potential through memories plasticity and healing. </span><em style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(34 34 34 1)>Today's been one of these days these flatlining days</em><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(34 34 34 1)> yet I find myself </span><em style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(34 34 34 1)>pliant and willing</em><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(34 34 34 1)> to listen more learn more and tell more.</span></p><p><strong style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(34 34 34 1)>-Kashiana Singh author of <em>Woman by the Door</em> and <em>Crushed Anthills</em></strong></p><p></p>