33 Poems at 33: And Other Works - W. J. Louis

33 Poems at 33 explores the complexities and varying forms of love as Louis works through the tension between love as an act of free will and love as a thing of destiny, writing about the reality of divorce, the sacrifices one may be forced to make as a parent, what it means to be reconciled with once unloved parts of the self, and the vulnerability of devotion. Louis juxtaposes poems inspired by the Japanese tanka to create a story alive with reversals, reminiscent of the lyrical resonance of the blues. This collection also includes revised poems from Louis' debut chapbook, Mountains in Miniature.