"Wide ranging,
thoughtful, intelligent,
at times elegiac, surreal, and
humorous, Chase Dimock's Sentinel
Species is a collection of poems that,
as its title suggests, watches over the
varied life forms on our planet, from
animals and plants to humans. At the
heart of Dimock's project is compassion
towards all beings, especially those on
the fringes of society and culture. In
excavating the stories of the under-
represented or the forgotten, Dimock
gives them voice and thus dignity.
This is a beautiful, at times painful,
but always inclusive, generous,
and tender book."
- Bunkong Tuon, poet
and associate professor
of English, Union
College
"Chase Dimock's Sentinel Species is bursting with life. The animals, insects, and plants that populate these poems--alive or dead, thriving or in decline--provide startling gateways into explorations of human existence. Dimock's poems examine memory, culture, and the fundamental yearning that comes with being alive through a joyously dizzy array of extended metaphors and associations. These are poems that speak to the fundamental dignity of the living, and celebrate the emotional and intellectual flora and fauna of the everyday."
-James Brubaker, author of The Taxidermist's
Catalog and Black Magic Death
Sphere: (science) fictions.
"Honest, clear sighted, and masterfully written, this is a beautiful and important book which gives voice to the creatures that we love and may lose. Chase's remarkable knowledge of endangered species is coupled with a charm, wit and inventiveness which makes this a delightful read and one which engenders empathy by showing what we share with
the animal world, not least in the shape of Koko the Gorilla who asks god why she was given knuckles that drag the ground and a mind that questions the sky.
-Anna Saunders, CEO Cheltenham Poetry Festval
and author of six collections
including Ghosting for Beginners
( Indigo Dreams ).
