When the Next Big War Blows Down the Valley: Selected and New Poems

Poetry. What a cause for celebration: an extended visit to Terese Svoboda's expansive and piercing vision, in which curiosity collides with critique and sparks wisdom, ignites wonder. The unsettling dynamics of family, the anxieties of global politics, and the surprising encounters with the architecture of everyday life shape "the membrane of lived moments" of this fierce and formidable book.

"WHEN THE NEXT BIG WAR BLOWS DOWN THE VALLEY may be a place where 'every word from everyone hurts,' but take solace, dear reader, Svoboda will turn each ache into an exquisite tune."—Rigoberto González

"Terese Svoboda's poetry is at once so remarkably precise and utterly strange I find my mind marrying her vision with vertigo and delight. Her SELECTED AND NEW is not just a treasure trove: it's a must-have for any serious reader of poetry. Dive in! I'll be waiting for you in the 'Marriage Boat' where Svoboda's gulls scream, 'Flesh! Flesh!'"—Cate Marvin