The Zoo

the vivid meditations in this debut collection can take strange turns and reveal the often unnoticed world around us. . . .As Mackowski makes clear, Earth is a wonderland—all we have to do is look around. This sia smart and fascinating volume.

The poet's unrelenting pursuit of the perfect phrase ... illustrates a true mastery of craft and of patience. Nothing is slipshod or wasted; the book moves slowly, as if underwater, with that kind of deliberation and grace.

. . . her first collection . . . is a high-spirited survey of our peculiar species, oten with parallel glances at other animals . . . Mackowski's wit stands her in good stead . . . She has talent to burn . . .

. . . gaze is superseded by sharp observation that yields vivid visual imagery and invites immersion. . . . Mackowski's rhymes, myriad and ingenious, are one of the most impressive features of The Zoo.

. . . a free, appealing style. . . [Mackowski's[ landscapes are crisp, colorful, and her indoor settings just as precise.

A virtuoso performance. . . .Contains many delightful surprises and not a few ideas worth considering.

This is a most unpretentious title for an unpretentious book, which nevertheless reveals an astonishing talent. The reader will come upon many a lovely, subtle, graceful and patiently composed poem. . . . Mackowski is a sensual poet, constantly addressed and caressed by sensations and lovingly caressing them in return with the fingertips of her womanly words.