IStartling poems of incisive intelligence and deep compassion./IBRBRBMarie Ponsot/B finds IThe Touch/I "rich, lyrical, sharp, a big world well perceived, Cynthia Kraman's poems are alive with real ideas. . . . You have to read this. Pure pleasure."BRBRBBob Holman/B says, "IThe Touch/I, the long-awaited new book of poetry from medievalist and former punk-rocker Cynthia Kraman, tosses New Formalism on its ear, and is rock lyrics . . . resuscitates Wordsworth . . . a superb, extraordinary, shocking, unflinching, charming, hilarious, perfectly gem-cut book."BRBRThe book is in two parts: IMy Heart Was Like A Sword/I has as its formal basis medieval number theory; ISpeak in the Dark/I's form refers to the days of Biblical creation and the weekly life of each of us. The poet writes, "I will leave it to the reader to find her and his own macro and micro readings of the poems' many days and nights, of nature created and creating, and the ongoing annihilations and regenerations of love and war."BRBRThese are heights, when they are not depths. A rich vein in our new poetry.-BRichard Howard/BBRBRThis is a book to read and re-read, the real thing. -BThomas Beller/B