Around the Gate

M. A. Nicholson's poems engage the ghosts and lives of New Orleans through the experiences and memories of the female speaker. Says Dr. Mona Lisa Saloy, Louisiana Poet Laureate, 'Nicholson's verse artfully engages the enigma of New Orleans, keeping hearts in a parade of memorable wordplay. Nicholson captures innocent eyes observing world stories, crafting the present where traditions are passed as gifts. These poems unveil the preciousness of days, as readers see life flip and unfold with the unexpected. From birthdays, saints' days, and barbecues to river horizons and storms-from skies or hearts-these poems entice readers to return again and again.' Says Rodrigo Toscano, author of The Charm & The Dread and The Cut Point, 'In this marvelous debut collection, Nicholson embraces the challenges, hazards, and inherent beauty of the demos ('for my city, my people, my family') through a relentless diversity of aesthetic approaches. The poems never stop at mere effectivity of representation,