Politics and Pandemics by Milton Jordan

I marvel at how involved these poems are with the world at large – very little ‘navel gazing’ here. I’m always looking for lines in poems that leave me with freshness. Here are a few from Milton Jordan’s collection: ‘neighbors who kept our twisted systems turning;’ ‘late morning shadows lying like leaves;’  ‘the language of dirt;’  ‘A Grammar of Good Trouble.’

–Margie McCreless Roe,  Author of the collection Call and Response

Through poetic conciseness and robust imagery, Milton Jordan responds to a year of pandemic and political upheaval, offering perspective and hope when both are needed.

–Chip Dameron, Author of Mornings with Dobie’s Ghost

During most of 2020 and into 2021 citizens of Texas and the United States faced the ravages of Covid 19. As this intriguing set of poems makes clear, official responses have too often been selfish or of little merit. Fortunately, people are resilient and will overcome ravages of disease and official dysfunction. One way for us to “revise our despair” is to read and consider this collection of poems by Milton Jordan.

–Bruce Glasrud, Professor of History, Emeritus, California State University, East Bay