Winterkill

In his fifth collection, Davis (In the Kingdom of the Ditch) again tackles the nature of nature, how it both affects humans and is in turn affected by them. Through meditations on the flora and fauna of his Pennsylvania home, Davis brings readers into a world rife with danger and darkness as well as quietude and splendor. He often blends these elements, as in the poem "Fenestration, an Eclogue": "In September purple asters shine around a yellow eye, intricate/ as the bone webbing at the base of a rabbit's skull." Davis utilizes such small but powerful images throughout to present an intimacy with nature as well as moments of human intimacy: "Usually you leave/ with a simple goodbye./ Still able to walk/ and cut the firewood/ you'll need in December." Given its meditative qualities, the book is a slow burn, and some readers may find that the poems' steady, deliberate pacing makes the collection feel longer than it really is. Those who appreciate a subtle word and an eye for the trees will find much to savor. Davis reverently observes nature's own poetry and how it illuminates the process of change. (Jan.)