Like Vapor
Mayapple Press, 2008

Joy Friedler's work puts the soul in the place it should be. These poems are necessary

Jack Ridl

In poems that are both narratively and lyrically arresting, Joy Gaines Friedler presents the truths of our America. This lovely debut--with its insistent images and music--reminds us how poetry transcends the individual and the common place (the pheasant crossing the highway, the house around the corner, the father dying of cancer) so that we may feel again, that we may have hope.

Gerry LaFemina

Joy Gaines Friedler subtly blends the personal and political while exploring the complex terrains of family, city, illness, and love. She writes with a hard-earned tenderness and compassion that serve as a testament to the human spirit, affirming both our presence here, and our ultimate disappearance, with clear-eyed grace and dignity.

Jim Daniels