What is Endured by Sharon Foley

I’ve come away from reading Sharon Foley’s searing, unforgettable collection of poems feeling singularly privileged, as though I’d been personally invited by her into a private place of grief and loss. Once there, I found to my surprise that these poems, rather than calling for pity, provide instead an undeniable sensation of comfort– completely unexpected, and present only because the poet expresses herself so directly, so vividly, and so recognizably. At one point in her sorrow she even writes of a time when “the bells kept ringing / and I was never able to write my poems. . “ But we can be profoundly glad she overcame that temporary hesitation, allowing us to appreciate her spiritual generosity as well as her undeniable skill as a poet.

–Marilyn L. Taylor Poet Laureate of Wisconsin, 2009 – 2010