Nervous System - Poems

A moving and kinetic collection of poetry from the 2018 winner of the National Poetry Series, selected by Monica Youn

Unexpected, unusual, and stirring, the poetry of Rosalie Moffett “takes us to the brink of a world continually unmaking itself,” (Georgia Review). From diving-bell spiders to the nervous system of the human body, from trees growing so heavy with fruit that they split to dogs galloping through snowy hills, Moffett’s world is rendered with precision, intricacy, and extraordinary beauty.

Exhilarating in its technical expertise but also steeped in a profound connection to the natural world and the human psyche, Nervous System is a collection from a major emerging voice.

A daughter maps her mother’s changing mind after a brain injury, finding language in the precise and startling world of science.

Poetry of Science and the Body: Follows the intricate threads connecting the human nervous system to the secret lives of spiders, snails, and the natural world. Memory and Language: A deeply personal look at aphasia, concussion, and the struggle to find words when the mind’s connections are frayed. Lyrical and Narrative Verse: Verses that are both technically exhilarating and emotionally resonant, telling a powerful, book-length story of family and trauma. National Poetry Series Winner: Selected by judge Monica Youn, this collection cements Rosalie Moffett’s place as a major new voice in American poetry.