Strange Angels

In this first major collection in nearly a decade from a revered American poet, William Pitt Root concerns himself with those extremes—spiritual, physical, or both—at which social and cultural forms disintegrate, leaving the individual as an unshielded witness to transitioning miracles that induce a state of awe that cannot be diminished, diverted, or ignored. In poem after poem, Root compels the reader to discover that these key moments require the heart to open and the mind to still in order to fully accept whatever results, whether it is to suffer inconsolably or to discover new facets of wisdom. With an imagery that is by turns beautiful, tender, provocative, and terrifying, this collection signals the triumphant return of a poet of national renown.

William Pitt Root is the author of numerous poetry collections, including Reasons for Going It on Foot, The Storm and Other Poems, and Trace Elements from a Recurring Kingdom: The First Five Books of William Pitt Root. His work has been translated into more than 20 languages and has been funded by the Guggenheim and Rockefeller Foundations, the National Endowment for the Arts, and Stanford University. He is the recipient of the Guy Owen Award, three Pushcart Prizes, and the Stanley Kunitz Prize. Most recently, he has served as the John C. Hodges visiting writer at the University of Tennessee–Knoxville. He lives in Durango, Colorado.