Voices from God's country

Got a hankering for some local poetry? You're in luck.

This month, April 30 to be exact, the Southeast Missouri State University press will release the poetry collection "Balancing on a Bootheel," filled with nine local poets pouring their hearts out.

Poets include Jon Thower, Jarret Green, Michael G. Howell, OFF's own Nicole Stanfield, Doc Bertram, Nicole Trokey, Ben Marxer, Shawn McLain and Clay Matthews.

Here's a little taste from Matthews:

"Outside Clarksdale we'll stop for gasoline

Drink cold beer and burn the roofs of our mouths

on fried chicken until we can't taste

where we came from anymore"

Finger-licking good. By the way, that poem ends in a grisly death scene. Enjoy.

This first book of the year for the university press will be available at Barnes and Noble, the university book store, Amazon.com and the university press Web site, Made in Missouri.