Enough rope: poems

A modestly sized collection that drifts between the wistful and the sharply observant, this book gathers poems first printed in the leading magazines of the 1920s. The verses move from a sorrowful “Threnody” that folds lilac‑sweet imagery into heartache, to the tightly wound humor of “The False Friends,” where feigned consolation meets biting irony. Throughout, the poet’s voice balances a tender melancholy with a crisp, almost conversational wit, letting everyday moments—late‑night musings, a rainy night, a fleeting romance—glimmer with both humor and quiet urgency.

The second part expands the range, offering brief portraits, reflective ballads, and playful formal experiments such as rondeaus and ballades. Themes of love’s fickle nature, the sting of unfulfilled promises, and the occasional solace found in simple observation run like a thread through the assortment. Listeners will discover a literary snapshot of an era, when the cadence of city life and the intimate inner world of a solitary poet intertwine in verses that feel both of their time and timeless.