In Peter Norman’s exciting debut collection, the poet stands, awed and perhaps a tad scared, at the brink of a loud, swirling, thrilling world. Its mysteries and its upheavals spark amusement, sadness and occasionally anger. Whether navigating love and loss, facing the trauma of modern warfare or simply trying to pick up some bread at the supermarket, Norman Ñ already an accomplished writer with a broad arsenal of poetic forms and tones Ñ steps through the theme park’s gate and into its carnival whirlwind. Clear and plainspoken, these eclectic poems deliver pleasure, mystery and the unexpected.