Diane Tucker writes from experience and "the sustaining power of memory" in this first collection of poems. She writes of falling in love with the wrong person: "For you I ride without a seat belt, willing to be thrown clear at first impact"; her daughter at four months, whose fingertips "are globes of amber salmon roe/ cool smooth/ and salty"; and growing up as an adopted child: "mystery breathes on my bare shoulders/ whispers between my spread-eagled arms:/ you could be anyone in the whole wide world."

Tucker treats her subjects with respect, compassion and a subtle playfulness. Her love of language, humour and poetic consciousness transforms images from everyday life into lyrical, intimate and original works of art, offering the reader fresh insights - with just a touch of magic.

Diane Tucker writes fiction and poetry. Her poems have been published in numerous Canadian and international publications. Her first book of poetry, God on His Haunches (Nightwood Editions, 1996), was a finalist for the Gerald Lampert Memorial Award. She has a BFA in Creative Writing from the University of British Columbia. Tucker lives in Burnaby, BC, and is an active member of the Burnaby Writers' Society. Her poetry has been published in national and international publications, including Aerings, Green's Magazine, The New Quarterly and Canadian Literature.

Diane Tucker's profile page

• Short-listed, Gerald Lampert Memorial Award