Poet borrows, deconstructs, reinvents

For the past few weeks, I have been tussling with the poems in "Once Removed," the latest poetry collection by Nancy Pagh. I am a bit hesitant to write a review at this point, because I feel I have only scratched the surface of these complicated poems. But with April stretching out in front of us as National Poetry Month, I thought this could help start things off with a jolt — no simpering celebration of poetic treacle here, but a high-octane kick in the teeth.

Pagh is a well-regarded poet and author who is based in Bellingham and teaches at Western Washington University. She also participates widely in reading series and workshops all over the country.