Particles

"There's a gap between where / an electron is and where it might be / and that's the only real work-place. / You occupy that office of possibility." Where are you in that space between the electron and the galaxy, and how do you find yourself there? Particles asks this question and answers it by asking more questions, conveying both the mystery and the uncertainty of the universe. Michael Penny addresses his poems directly to the reader, challenging you to satisfy your need to investigate and understand the sensory and intellectual assumptions we use to make sense of our world. Balanced between abstract metaphysical challenges and the concrete and commonplace, Penny's poetry considers a range of topics, including cars, bruises, lotteries, pine needles, and dogs, infusing each with strangeness and unexpected intrigue. A lively and surprising collection, Particles joins together inner and outer space and suggests that you might not know what you think you know.