The poems in Desire Lines, both new and selected, give shape to the desires we must nourish if we are to retain our compassion. The poems collaborate as a series of variations on the theme of desire, much like the way a motif weaves through a piece of music or a thread through a tapestry. Haskins presents autobiographical poems and poems that give voice to other women, both historical and imagined.

Lola Haskins has published six full-length poetry collections. A musician and dancer, Haskins shared the title role in Mata Hari, a full-length ballet, whose libretto she wrote for...