Making Figures in the Ward (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9798899904899)

Making Figures in the Ward explores themes of estrangement and deeply rooted individualism through various life circumstances, from the communal tensions of "Ranch House" and "Tenement" to the profound isolation of the opening poem, "Afternoon Anson." Overshadowing the characters are surreal images that imbue the landscape of poems like "Lightning and Leaves," "Sleep," and "Solitaire" with symbolic and emotional content. The dream-like images of Making Figures in the Ward imply we primarily inhabit a psychological world. The effect is a contrast between tenuous interpersonal connections and intimate ties to our own mental lives.