Border States

Border States is the first full-length poetry collection written by Jane Hoogestraat. “I'm very interested,” says Hoogestraat, “in how the settlement history of places continues to have an indelible influence on present culture, often in ways that the people who live in a given place are only dimly aware of.” The poems of Border States reflect on varied American themes of diversity, often investigating cultural difference influenced by geographical location. Hoogestraat's meditations on rural life analyze the topography, history, folk music, religion, and vernacular of the heartland, crafting crisp and gentle portraits of Americana.