Shapely: Selected Formal Poems

This eleventh collection of Jack Veasey's poetry spotlights a lesser-known aspect of the work of this Pennsylvania poet. Known as a chronicler of urban working-class life, and described by FactSheet 5 as "blunt, cutting narratives that make you wonder how we can possibly accept things as they are," Veasey gains even more power in the surprising vein of poems in foxed forms. Exploring formal poetic forms since the early 1980s, Veasey found working in sonnets and other forms proved ideal for exploring a far greater range of subjects, some that had been, for him, "too big to tackle." This collection gathers the best of the poet's works in form. Some are hilarious, some dark and disturbing, some poignant and touching: all have a clarity and striking musicality not found much in contemporary poetry.