Through lyrical narrative, the poems in Mandatory Evacuation find radiance in everyday people and subjects by the simple act of noticingof seeking that which matters most. Like returning home with new eyes after a devastating storm, these poems startle us to awareness, focusing on the passage of time, the beauty of small, fleeting moments, and the importance of paying attention.

Peter Makuck is the author of numerous BOA collections, most recently Long Lens: New and Selected Poems (2010). He is a Distinguished Professor Emeritus at East Carolina University, where...