Companion Pieces Author:Kirk Johnson In this well-crafted sequence of poems, Kirk Johnson creates a poignant reading experience, demonstrating the talent and originality that is establishing his place among Canada's bright young poets. With every nuance, every turn of phrase, Johnson skillfully combines the tentative with the precise, summoning a deeper look. The poem's stro... more »ng, lingering imagery recounts the way a train approaches a station and how the sun uncovers a row of buildings at dawn. They often blur the space between the fantasy of an inner world and the reality of an indoor place. "Companion Pieces" is fine fabric, best worn next to the skin. Feel its intricate weave of urban alienation, rural nostalgia, and dreams born of a futile longing. Like memory, an intricate pattern emerges of threads both beautiful and plain, impulsive but long-lasting. Sense "the cool knot of air" beneath the touch on a companion's shoulder. Listen to "the grey crease of dawn" as it follows the gait of another passing train. This collection of poetry will resonate in your imagination long after you've put the book down, leaving you with a heightened awareness of the extraordinary in the mundane.« less