Gayle Jansen Beede

You Can Practically See Cattle Dancing Gayle Jansen Beede

Sometimes it's the scavenging seagull, or a woman peeling an orange, a cat bathing, or yard sale shoppers that turn everyday moments into poetry. From the inner city playground to the old folks' home, the imagery in Gayle Jansen Beede's debut collection of poems depicts celebration and loss, angst and whimsy. Grief is in the mix, as is an appreciation of ancestry, an homage to those who paved the way. So is the marvel of childhood. Having come of age in the 1960s, Beede can't help but bring traces of pop culture into some of her stanzas, where James Bond, Tab Hunter, The Beatles, Leonard Cohen, and Dracula make appearances.