The Infinite Doctrine of Water

The gorgeous poems of Michael T. Young’s The Infinite Doctrine of Water offer the rewards of deep reflection. The poet’s sharp eye and attentive ear capture the delicate light and shadow of urban life and personal memory. New York and Jersey City provide the backdrop for subtle yet incisive meditations, as when “Devotional” portrays the Belt Parkway’s approach to the Verrazano Bridge through a vivid moment of grace where “ranks of waves / wear breakers like medals of impermanence.” In Young’s hands, time’s transience is enacted through quick shifts and sudden epiphanies in poems that are radiant, deeply felt, and always beautifully crafted. —Ned Balbo