Numa: An Epic Poem with Photo Collages by Katrinka Moore

I'm pleased to announce the release of Numa: An Epic Poem with Photo Collages, the 38th volume in Aqueduct's Conversation Pieces series, by Katrinka Moore.

Fire
Circle the fire, night
at their backs. A lone
voice sings — archaic
strain — flame ashes
spiral of smoke —
Numa the darkness surrounding
them / Numa a vixen edge-
flickering / a sleepy child
catches hazel-eyed
gleam / spark

The poems in Numa tell the story of a shape-shifting numen. Numa, whose home body is that of a wild feline, learns by trial and error to take the form of other animals, plants, and the elements. As she grows up, she uses her skill to experience and share the divine in ordinary aspects of the world. She gives birth to a cub and begins raising her to shape-shift. Then an interloper appears, a young man on a quest for glory who believes he should defeat the “monster” in the forest.

Aqueduct is releasing the book in both print and e-book editions. It's available now here, at Aqueduct's site, and will soon be available elsewhere.