"Seth Michelson’s poems have an exactness of language and lyrical syntax joined with a tremendous ability to create metaphor and image that create a visceral response in the reader, not just a kick in the gut, but a wealth of emotion and intellect that leads one to care deeply about his work. Eyes Like Broken Windows is a pleasure."

— Stephen Dobyns 

"Seth is interested in pain and beauty. The cusp moments of life bend for him into moments of grace, ‘So that's your Bach, those fine moments / of primeval release.’ He loves those moments of breaking and typically brings the reader into them."

— Kate Gale

“Heartbeat and hymn, prayer and curse, Seth Michelson's vigorous, spellbinding verse tackles the unbearable and that what must not be told. From the torture dens of Buenos Aires to the hospital beds of L.A. County, these Eyes Like Broken Windows summon us to bear witness until we decipher the truth that hides at the center of this visionary collection: ‘yes, we exist / where we're erased.’”

— Alicia Partnoy

"Exquisitely crafted, powerfully driven by an inner purpose that transcends the immediate and reaches into the heart and mind with amazing force—should be read by every students and poet! A timely book in chaotic times, that begs for a follow-up!"

— Jimmy Santiago Baca

"This collection reflects an original voice that all at once presents a perfect alchemy, blending creative force with the tenderness of a speaker telling profound truths with conviction and beauty."

— Marjorie Agosín

"Seth Michelson's poems, one after another, wrangle the brutal and broken world into something that sings. This is hard work, and good work."

— Ross Gay

About the Author

Seth Michelson is the author of the chapbooks Maestro of Brutal Splendor (Jeanne Duval Editions, 2005), Kaddish for My Unborn Son (Pudding House Publications, 2009), and House in a Hurricane (Big Table Publishing, 2010), and he translated Tamara Kamenszain’s internationally acclaimed book of poetry El Ghetto (Point of Contact, 2011). His collaboration with composer Zhou Tian, "A Crown for Soprano, Cello, and Piano," won first-place in the ASCAP Awards, and his poetry and essays appear widely in both academic and popular publications. He has taught for Adelphi University, Bard College, C.W. Post, Sarah Lawrence College, and the University of Southern California, and he also has worked as a journalist, bouncer, bilingual-Spanish elementary-school teacher, and limo driver. He currently resides in Los Angeles.

Other Books by this Author