One of the poems in this collection is titled “We are daily witness to the world’s wastes.” That sums it up: This is a powerful, revelatory, occasionally infuriating, often disturbing book about what we discard: things, nature, and people. It’s not an easy book. It shines a light on systems most of us would prefer to ignore. We look away at our own peril. Not to be missed.

Such an interesting poetry collection. Mehler explores the everyday of working at a landfill site with poems and prose spanning the items that are discarded, the environmental impact of landfill sites, and the people he works with day in, day out. Consequently, Mehler's poetic range was incredibly interesting to read - from matter-of-fact prose poems that reflected the thought processes of the men he works with and the break-room philosophies, to a stunning poem about an owl regurgitating a pellet as an extended metaphor for what a landfill site represents. All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this.

Thank you Netgalley, Aubade Publishing, and Dave Mehler for sending me this advanced review copy for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This book was so strange, but in a good way. It felt like peering inside a madman's brain. I loved every minute of it! There were times he was talking to us, and other times that sounded like a surreal junkyard prayer.

It's so hard to describe, but also impossible to put down once you start reading. I read the whole thing in a single setting, because I just could not stop.