A dos-a-dos chap, each poet starting at one cover of the book and working towards the center. The dos-a-dos format always reminds me of "69" oral sex--the head of each at the tail of the other--and while sexual imagery is abundant in the poetry, such equality & mutual satisfaction is not. Lainie laments love lost or lacking; Edward's woes are added to by homophobia and AIDS. Honest rather than polished--Lainie is the rawer of the pair, while Edward wraps his wounds in wordage--in the end, we're not sure if either one is healed in the process.--luigi
This review originally appeared in TapRoot Reviews #2,
Contact the editor, luigi-bob drake, at Burning Press
Copyright Burning Press 1993, 1995.