Saunter

Joshua McKinney's debut collection of poetry,Saunter, shows immense devotion to and passion for language in all its aspects. He intensely attends to words and delights in the play of accidental connections and complications. Such amusement and playfulness with oppositions is evidenced in lines like: "an opening / a cello scales / some stairs. Risen, / a thought falls." McKinney's awareness of the complex resonance of literary history and current issues of language comes through in his dedication to making the appearance of language, not just its sound or its relative meaning, an integral aspect of his poems. Meanwhile, the subject matter is often surprisingly mythic and mysterious, championing absolute freedom and wildness. His intricate verse is sincere in its observations while turning inward on itself, sauntering in designed indirection.

Joshua McKinney is the author of two poetry chapbooks, including Permutations of the Gallery (winner of the 1996 Pavement Saw Chapbook Contest). His work has appeared in American Letters and Commentary, Boulevard, Colorado Review, Denver Quarterly, International Quarterly, Volt, and many others. He teaches at California State University-Sacramento.