M Lee Alexander

Spinning the Compass M Lee Alexander

In poems that span the globe, M. Lee Alexander captures the essence of place in skillfully rendered verse, ranging from concrete and narrative poems to sonnets, villanelles, and a sestina. At times, the clever typography stands as noteworthy as a monument; at other times, her keen observation and rich imagery transport the reader through sites as diverse as the Smithsonian's National Zoo where "blue cranes stretch forth, tossing grasses / in their mating dance" to a Kilkenny village festival, alive "with mandolin and lute and lyre." Exceptional in musicality, the poems in Spinning the Compass are compelling, passionate, wise, and memorable. Carolyn Kreiter-Foronda, Poet Laureate of Virginia, 2006-2008