The Broken String

One of the finest poets writing today, Grace Schulman finds order in
art and nature that enables her to stand fast in a threatened world.
The title refers to Itzhak Perlman's performance of a concerto despite a
missing string, which inspires a celebration of life and all its limitations.
For her, song imparts endurance: Thelonious Monk evokes Creation
when he snaps his fingers; John Coltrane's improvisations embody her
own heart's desire to "get it right on the first take"; the wind plays a harpshaped oak; and her immigrant ancestors remember their past by singing
prayers on a ship bound for New York.