Annie Finch

A Crown for Ted and Sylvia

Arts & Literature

“In a book full of surprises, Kim Bridgford reveals herself to be a wonderful religious poet. The title crown is a tour de force marked by some deeply memorable lines, and the series of poems on biblical themes called ‘What Fresh Hell is This’ is especially moving, as form and meaning coalesce into something far more than the sum of their parts. ‘That’s how it is. You are what you most fear. / You think you know your shining, private name: / You don’t. It is the language of your secrets.’ In remarkable lines such as these, Bridgford speaks with candor and depth of mysteries that need to be revealed.”