The Square Footage of Awe

At first I thought Katrin Talbot's The Square Footage of Awe was a book of songs, rich in melody, harmony, and rhythm. But I was wrong - she's written a symphony of words, interwoven with snow angels, lichen, violas, chickens in trees, and so much more. This is lovely music, waiting to be heard. -Bruce Dethlefsen, Wisconsin Poet Laureate (2011-2012)As her poem Translation begins, "There is no better definition of Wait than this morning's sky," the same could be said about Katrin Talbot's new collection, The Square Footage of Awe. There is an anticipation that builds throughout these poems, one that asks you to settle in, to acknowledge, to wait. Wait for the moments, wait for the language, wait for the play of conversation, because in the waiting, the reward is the bold tenacity and authority of Talbot's voice, the comforting nuances of well-honed writing and poems that invite you in again and again. This book is a must. -Lorraine Henrie Lins, author, Without the Water and other collections