Over the Graves of Horses

Over the Graves of Horses, a collection of poems by Michigan writer Michael Delp, invites the reader to share in the poet's experiences of love, death, and family relationships through detailed imagery. Metaphors of water, ice, forests, fish, deer, and horses extend beyond local, "northern," or "midwest" imagery to take on universal meaning. In dealing with the central themes, Delp simultaneously conveys a sense of awe at the violence of existence and an affection for life itself. His expression of family relationships suggests that the emotional crises he writes about have been lived and survived-not just invented. Taken individually or collectively, the poems are distinctly musical. The evolving textures of themes and leitmotifs and their strategic recurrence create a complex connection that builds with each poem.