Uncoded Woman - by Anne-Marie Oomen (Paperback)

About the Book

Coding and decoding are the themes of Anne-Marie Oomen's collection of poems, which together tell the story of a woman named Bead and her search for a safe harbor. The maritime "International Code of Signals" becomes a symbolic guide to Bead's journey, lending weightier meaning to boating phrases such as "You should proceed with caution" and "I am continuing to search." The beautiful terrain near Lake Michigan forms a powerful backdrop to the exploration of the life of a woman and her Native American lover, whose poverty and desperation are in stark contrast to the wealthy resort community around them. As an essayist and playwright, Oomen is known for her ability to convey the inner landscape of a woman's mind; this is her first book of poetry.

Book Synopsis

"Lively . . . At times dreamily beautiful." --CHICAGO SUN-TIMES

Coding and decoding are threads running through the poems of Uncoded Woman, which together tell the story of a woman named Bead and her search for safe harbor.

"LN1: You Should Proceed with Caution." "D: Keep Clear of Me: I Am Maneuvering with Difficulty." "YZ: The Words Which Follow Are in Plain Language." The maritime International Code of Signals--a dictionary of ship's pennants and the message they convey--becomes a symbolic guide to Bead's journey, as she learns that some signs mislead while others illuminate. Along the way, the beautiful terrain near Lake Michigan forms a powerful backdrop to Bead's life with Barn, her Native American boyfriend, whose struggles are in stark contrast to the wealthy resort community around them.

From exhilaration to degradation, from betrayal to self-reliance, Anne-Marie Oomen's poems give voice to a woman's life on the edge.