What to Pray For

In this new collection Michael Kiesow brings imagination and insight to subjects drawn from personal history and cultural experiences ranging from cooking to dance myth and music. Childhood traumas and the persecution of those who are "different" provide the subtext for poems of sometimes surprising whimsy and freshness. Homey images sit side by side with scenes of angelic splendor and compassion for troubled souls spurs theological reflections buoyed less by logic than passionate imagery. It's clear that the author has been moved and inspired by the efforts of others-Hockney Nijinksy Piazzolla-and his own poems extend that tradition in new directions. As fellow poet Deborah Keenan put is Moore's poems strive to "put mystery back in the moon."   Michael Kiesow Moore is an award-winning writer of fiction poetry and creative nonfiction. He was born in Cheyenne Wyoming and grew up in Florida and Maryland. A Minnesota transplant he loves its lively literary and artistic communities. He received his M.F.A. in Creative Writing at Hamline University and his work has appeared in several books and journals including Among the Leaves: Queer Male Poets on the Midwestern Experience Water~Stone Review Talking Stick Evergreen Chronicles The James White Review and A Loving Testimony: Losing Loved Ones Lost to AIDS. His awards have included a Minnesota State Arts Board fellowship a Loft Mentor Series Award and a Pushcart nomination in poetry. He curates the Birchbark Books Reading Series at Birchbark Books and has taught creative writing classes at the Loft Literary Center since 1999. He lives in Saint Paul Minnesota.