Todd Boss, a new voice in the world of poetry

"Todd Boss is going to be a poetry all-star," predicts Sherman Alexie. "He can make any rhyme feel like a concealed weapon."

"If you only buy only one book of poetry this year, make it [Todd Boss's] 'Yellowrocket,' " suggests Monitor poetry reviewer Elizabeth Lund.

Who is this fresh new voice in the world of poetry?

"Yellowrocket," Boss's first collection, showcases verse featuring the farm he grew up on in Wisconsin. Boss's verse, writes Lund, "leaves an invisible mark that makes the reader feel vibrant and alive.... [his work balances] raw beauty with traditionally poetic topics: growing up on a farm, marriage, and fatherhood."

If you're curious, about Boss, you can "visit" with him at his favorite cafe in St. Paul, Minn., where he lives, by clicking on the icon to the right. He recently chatted with Monitor photographer Sarah Beth Glicksteen about his creative process and read aloud from one of his favorite poems.