Traces of Pilgrimage

This book of poems conveys experiences in the life of the poet, with occasional conjuring through the eyes of other beings. The poems range from the intimate to the universal. Wonder, grief and humor intertwine throughout the book, sometimes all in a single piece. The pilgrimage of the title refers to both specific rambles and the long journey through this precious world. The poet hopes the reader finds recognition, surprise and pleasure in these pages. Tom McKoy's poetry is derived from what William Carlos Williams called the American Grain, and he shares with Williams a sense of wonder at the quotidian world as well as a kind of writing that is lucid and unaffected. The language is clear, direct, honest, with no pretentions, no false moves, no grand rhetorical gestures. The poems in the book are arranged and sequenced beautifully and the voicing of each poem is nigh perfect. Simply put, these poems are a pleasure. -Joseph Stroud, author of Of This World