if nothing else
by Harold Bowes

“In “Our Car,” Bowes reveals himself at his very best. In eight lines and four sentences he manages to convey a whole landscape. Once again, the piece demonstrates how a final line can of itself add a whole new dimension to what is already a brilliant poem:

Our car paces a truck.
The truck is hauling
detached automobile bumpers
secured to a flatbed.
The mountains are white with snow
in the distance.
The clouds are as big as Montana.
Even now I forgive you.

This is a remarkable book that deserves a wide audience. For those who love the craft of the short poem, it will not disappoint.” (Neal Leadbeater, in Galatea Resurrects No. 18)