In plain, unpretentious language, with brutal honesty, Ron Koertge can meld violence, love, human ugliness, joy, and modern depravity into a short lyric that makes us laugh out loud or socks us in the gut. His images arrive in giant clown shoes - cigars the size of Florida, the plastic man's counter-length arms - or neatly packaged in carefully observed detail, as he writes of the "black little hearts" of ants or an ape's "dark and leathery breast". Through every poem, there runs a constant and sincere humanity, a voice that laughs at itself, often goads us a bit, but always stuns and enlightens us when we discover something of ourselves gambling with the crowd at the racetrack, driving from the parking lot of the Mexican restaurant, or shambling with the distraught parent leaving the hospital. In Making Love to Roget's Wife, Ron Koertge offers his best work from twenty-three years and a dozen earlier collections. With twenty-five new poems, and over eighty from previous books, this selection reawakens us to the presence of a superbly honed comic voice.

In Plain, Unpretentious Language, with brutal honesty, Ron Koertge can meld violence, love, human ugliness, joy, and modern depravity into a short lyric that makes us laugh out loud or socks us in the gut. His images arrive in giant clown shoes -- cigars the size of Florida, the plastic man's counter-length arms -- or Koertge neatly packages them in carefully observed detail, writing of an ant's black little heart or the dark and leathery breast of an ape. Through every poem there runs a constant and sincere humanity, a voice that laughs at itself, goads us a bit, but just as often lifts us up when we place ourselves gambling with the crowd at Ruidoso race track, driving from the parking lot of the Mexican restaurant, or shambling with the distraught parent leaving the hospital.

In Making Love to Roget's Wife, Ron Koertge offers his best work from twenty-three years and a dozen earlier collections. With twenty-five new poems, and over eighty from previous books, this selection will serve to reawaken us to the presence of a superbly honed, comic voice.

"These poems run off the tracks, and yet somehow make tremendous sense. They are not only the most charming poems in the world, but great fun. There is something holy about a poet who wants to give his readers nothing but pleasure. He throws such magic dust in the eyes that I swear Ron Koertge is my favorite poet. I couldn't be a bigger fan". -- Ed Field