Counter Point

"Laura Rodley is known for her narrative finesse, and in Counter Point she masterfully weaves poetry with prose in a remarkable tale of lovers coming together on, of all places, a pirate ship. Be sure to set aside enough time to read the whole thing in one sitting - you'll not be able to put it down until you reach the end!" Robin Stratton, editor Boston Literary Magazine"Laura Rodley's remarkable poems transport you to the North Atlantic in the early 1700s. Novelistic in scope, Counter Point uses scene, dialogue, and action-driven narrative. And like any good novel, this book introduces an unforgettable character, Marie, an ordinary girl ("A laundress wears no jewelry on her / hands, only the roses of chapped skin.") who navigates the world with extraordinary fortitude. Artful language and sensual detail--whether evoking love's first desires ("and here we splice open our shirts / like oysters after plucking / and just as lush.") or describing the malodors of a pirate ship ("even the smell of their feet / had a noise called squelching.")--bring to life a briny world, both intimate and writ large. It's not often a poetry book is described as a page-turner, but Counter Point is that book: a heroine's adventure lyrically told." Ellen Wade Beals, Publisher, Editor of Solace in So Many Words"There is something of the tides as they ebb and flow in the poetry of Laura Rodley. There is something of the sea in all of her power and mystery as she brings to life characters from another time and place. There is the grip of the human heart and spirit in every line. There is so much truth and terrible beauty in every poem. And woven throughout is this amazing story of adventure, tragedy, love and triumph. Counter Point is simply brilliant." Tommy Clark, retired Northampton Fire Chief and 2016 Chair of 30 Poems in 30 Days, a fundraiser in support of literary at Center for New Americans