The Shape of Absence
Tom Beck
An absence lurks at the heart of this collection of twenty-one poems and illustrations. Part meditation on time and seasons — the subtle shifting from day to day, the agonizingly slow pace of change — and part a measured search for the elusive words for grief, this collection explores the shapes, sounds, and textures of loss.
Combining formal and free verse poems, long and short, each complemented by a beautiful and unique painting, readers have described the collection as "magical" and "uniquely fantastic and full of feeling."
About the Author
Tom Beck is a poet who lives in Minneapolis. He grew up in the driftless region in northwestern Illinois, and his work is inspired by the forested hills and steep river valleys of that area. When not writing, he enjoys exploring the parks around the Twin Cities. He and his wife are expecting a son in March. This is his first chapbook.