Ghost - Poems

Grounded in the natural world, Tara Bray's third book of poems, Ghost, considers the abundance of nature against the degeneration of the body, both human and planetary, whether from environmental neglect, disease, or simply the toll of living. This collection is set in the landscapes of Virginia, along the James River and the rural roads of Nelson County, Shenandoah National Park, the local wetlands, and the author's own backyard. Wildlife and plants inhabit the poems, including the prothonotary warbler, the yellow-billed cuckoo, the towhee, possums, cicadas, heal-all, and lemon verbena. Even Elvis makes an appearance. Bray weaves together themes of family and communion, the tension between what is seen and what is hidden, preservation and belief, and her own grappling with the effects of alopecia areata. With a naturalist's eye, she recounts a contemporary world overflowing with both despair and wonder.