Dancing in the Cosmos - by Floyd Skloot (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Dancing in the Cosmos contains work selected by Floyd Skloot from his nine previous poetry collections as well as a group of new poems written in the last decade, including an exploration of his life since the onset of Parkinson's disease.

At the heart of the book is a consideration of illness and love, science and grit, and clarity of purpose when chaos rules. Much of Skloot's writing reflects the experience of becoming disabled in 1988 from viral-born brain damage, as he shows how full engagement in life and the world is not only possible but essential when life takes unexpected turns and when illness seems to derail all progress. His poems make use of poetry's traditional forms and structures, along with its contemporary freedoms, its range of linguistic and rhythmic possibilities, and its capacity for fighting its way again and again toward the necessary strength that enables endurance, and even celebration.

Review Quotes

PRAISE FOR FLOYD SKLOOT
"A tribute to the creative spirit."

--Washington Post

"A poet of singular skill and subtle intelligence."--Harvard Review

"I believe that Mr. Skloot is one of the finest lyric poets writing in English today."--Daniel Mark Epstein

"Skloot's is an extraordinary voice that gains in power over time, one that brings us closer to the mysteries that hover beyond the experiences of our daily lives."--Prairie Schooner

About the Author

Floyd Skloot is a poet, novelist, and creative nonfiction writer. His work has appeared in many literary journals and received three Pushcart Prizes, a PEN USA Literary Award, and numerous other honors. In 2010, Poets & Writers featured him on a list of "fifty of the most inspiring authors in the world." He lives in Oregon with his wife, the artist Beverly Hallberg.