National Network for Equitable Library Service

I learned the secret of serenity by waterboarding daffodils. My Buddha is landfill. My mantra choked from a bluebird’s neck. It’s ruthless, the pursuit of happiness. Eighteen seconds have elapsed. This collection is a universe where minimalism and maximalism work in harmony. Ethics, economics, glamour and alternative physics are just a few of the vehicles Besner uses in her jaundiced pursuit of knowledge and joy. At the collection’s core is a series of brilliantly illuminated poems patterned on a scientific study of synaesthesia and Fisher Price refrigerator magnets. Besner’s courageous comparisons and musicality provide the critical happiness we all need. ‘Besner’s imagination doesn’t appear to have an upper or outer limit … Reading her poems is a bad trip and a transformational experience.’ – Ken Babstock ‘Besner is one of the funniest poets writing in this country.’ – National Post