Just wanted to share the news that my new book of poetry, about my journey from illness to recovery, is coming out at the end of this month, and is already available for preorder from Amazon.com. (See link below) In it are poems from my twenty-four years of writing, plus commentary by Dr. Mary O'Malley, psychiatrist.

It is called WE MAD CLIMB SHAKY LADDERS by Pamela Spiro Wagner (CavanKerry Press, 2009). http://www.amazon.com/Climb-Shaky-Ladders-Laurel-Books/dp/1933880104/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1237386767&sr=8-1 If you prefer to shop at an independent bookstore, or some other non amazon store, ask them to order it from the University Press of New England, or www.upne.com

Here are two very short poems from it, just to entice you, the first is about me, the second is about my twin sister, Lynnie (you may recall her from DIVIDED MINDS):

AMBIVALENCE

Touch me. No, no, do not touch.

I mean: be careful --

if I break into a hundred pieces

like a Ming vase falling from the mantle

it will be your fault.

 JUNIOR MISS

Cool as Christmas

     plump as a wish

and simonpure as cotton

You stroll the avenue

      mean in your jeans

and the boys applaud.

You toss off a shrug        

     like a compliment

with a flicker of disdain

Catching the whistle

     in mid-air and

pitching it back again.