THESE SMALL STONES

Poignant, funny, and startling poems are gathered together in this charming anthology of poetry about small things. Inanimate objects like marbles and beachstones, tiny creatures such as shrews and ladybugs, and even small parts of the body have their own poems. The variety in rhyme and rhythm is as great and pleasing as the range of topics. All are short, but each has a unique flavor. There are old riddles, a limerick, haiku and songs. Most of the poems are modern, but there are a few old ones, and several from far away. One is from Japan and one seems to be from Armenia (it is about lentils, and anyone who still tells ""Six Who Passed While the Lentils Boiled"" should read it). Christina Rossetti, Issa Garcia-Lorca, Shel Silverstein, and e.e. cummings represent the wide range of styles. This is one of those rare anthologies that can be read at a sitting, yet leave the reader sorry to finish. It will be welcome in any poetry collection.