"Overcast" is a collection of verse written about a middle class family in a 20th century industrial American city. Many of the pieces are narrative, centered on the life of the author's sister whose cloistered life was turned upside down by immersion in Japanese culture. Other pieces are inspired by subjects political and personal, abstract and concrete. The tone is wry and irreverent with a kind of linguistic swagger. They are accessible, even fun to read, and are intended for the intelligent, thoughtful reader. Some are also emotional, regarding the puzzle of life, the certainty of loss,...