The title of Looms signifies the weaving tool as well as the shadowing appearance of something. These "woven tales" were inspired by Barbara Guest's statement that a tale "doesn’t tell the truth about itself; it tells us what it dreams about." The strands of their surreal allegories converse, one idea giving rise to another, and the paths of their dialogue become the fabric of the narrative. In a second meaning, something that looms remains in a state of imminent arrival. Such are these tales, like parables with infinitely deferred lessons.

Canadian poet Camille Martin is the acclaimed author of four full-length collections: Looms (Shearsman Books, 2012), Sonnets (Shearsman Books, 2010), Codes of Public Sleep (BookThug, 2007), and Sesame Kiosk (Potes & Poets, 2001). Martin has performed her poetry in more than thirty cities in Canada, the United States, France, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. Her work has been widely and internationally published in journals. She lives in Toronto.

Of Looms, Meredith Quartermain writes that "in tightly woven tapestry, Martin's 'backstreet songs' re-invent a music of knowledge that navigates the hucksterism and catastrophe threatening our planet." Rob McLennan praises the "expansiveness" of Looms, whose poems "exist in that magical place where words, images and ideas collide, creating connections that previously had never been. In his review for Bookslut, Cort Bledsoe states that in Looms "Martin has proven herself to be a solid poet with an ear for language and an inquisitive mind, delving into the big questions we all face. Martin has woven a rich tapestry of poems that are well worth perusing." And Steve Spence for Stride Magazine writes that Looms is "impressive and addictive."

Camille Martin's profile page