Each poem in Michael and Me offers its own nugget of meaning that links to the overall narrative — the physical events that intensify then burst into spiritual insight and flashes of clarity. The personal tragedy of Michael's cancer, his premature death, and ongoing spiritual presence evoke the universal themes of love, loss and faith. The poems gently move from the wisdom of the natural world to other realms and a broader vision of what is.

“Through the power of its poetic artistry, Michael and Me gives luminous, intimate testimony to the power of love, ‘the breath of the universe.’ A mother’s efforts by every conceivable means to save her son from fatal cancer, though ultimately thwarted, lead on into braided connections beyond life’s end. A sense of doom assailing ‘the defenseless heart’ is countered by ‘a golden shimmer’ and the blessings of family life and solace in the northern woods. Each poem’s finely-sculpted stanzas form a stage on a soulful journey that persists unflinchingly, moves ever-deeply, and soars, hawklike, to visionary heights.” ─ Allan Briesmaster, author of The Long Bond and Windfor

Praise for Merle Nudelman's previous work:

“With artful precision, Merle Nudelman reveals the ordinary and extraordinary moments of a child's life in a language that is both fresh and profound. What results is a poetic that transforms not only how we observe and experience those most dear to us but the concept of life and death itself. At the core, Nudelman's fourth collection of poetry is celebratory — a poetry of revival that can only come after great loss and great joy, a revival that sustains like the image of her deceased son, Michael, who now is the sturdy ‘oak’ that ‘shade[s]’ those who are left behind.” — Laura Lush, author of Carapace and Swing Beam

“It is gratifying to read poetry that cares about devotion and dignity, by a poet who is capable of lyric sensibility with bold and fearless reach. Nudelman addresses the enigmas of illness, loss, vision and forgiveness in language lit with commitment.” — Elana Wolff, author of Shape Taking

Merle Nudelman teaches memoir and poetry writing and gives workshops on healing through words. Michael and Me is her sixth collection of poems.