Thirsts, denied and indulged, overt and so subtle as to be unnoticeable, have a sometimes unexamined power in our lives. The passions we hold for one another. The poems in Thirsts descend from language, whether turns of local phrase to turns at the scrabble board. words and frames obliquely enter and exit the heart from behind convenient foundation hedges.

Pearl Pirie is the author of been shed bore (2010) and Thirsts (2011), which won the Robert Kroetsch Award for Innovative Poetry. Her poetry has been published in numerous literary journals, including filling Station, BafterC, Arc Poetry Magazine, Gusts, PRECIPICe, Dandelion, and This Magazine. Her poem "Summer Names" was shortlisted in the Best Canadian Poetry, 2014, and she made the 50-poem longlist for Best Canadian Poetry, 2011, for her poem "The First Mother's Day After Dad's Death." (Tightrope Books). Pirie's work has been included in several anthologies, focused on innovative poets, haiku, and other genres of writing. She has several chapbooks produced in Canada, France and Japan. She has produced two dozen titles under phafours press. Since 2009 she has managed the Tree Seed Workshop Series. Connect with Pirie on her website, www.pearlpirie.com, her poetry and poetics blog, http://pagehalffull.com/pesbo, or on Twitter @pesbo.

Pearl Pirie's profile page

• Winner, Robert Kroetsch Award for Innovative Poetry