Escape: And Other Poems

In Leslie Hodge's chapbook, Escape and other poems, we get to ride along with her from the Ozarks all the way to Southern California. A life from school bus days to "those who love . . . my pearl-white hair." Along the way we travel through Chicago, Spain, hints of other foreign locations, a good dose of the Ozarks, the Del Mar Fair and the casinos of Nevada. There is a subtle fierceness in the narrator of these poems, disguised as a Viking queen, beach going angel, strident Red Riding Hood; even talks with God about Billy Collins. And although the narrator states "I am not a cowgirl," we wonder. Buy this book. Follow Leslie as she instructs, "Grab the wheel of your life and drive fast to get there."

-Ron Salisbury, winner of the 2015 Main Street Rag Poetry Prize for his book, Miss Desert Inn and the inaugural Poet Laureate, San Diego 2020-2021

This brief book reveals a mastery of the American-of the several forms of current American poetry and of the American sensibility, particularly of the West. It will take you from a log cabin in the Ozarks to a casino in Nevada, from a cab ride in Chicago to a county fair in San Diego. The poems beautifully straddle the fine line between the personal and the mythic, bringing you into the geography both of the great country and of someone you will want to know.

-James Toupin, Upon the Century Called American

Hold on while Leslie Hodge takes you on an exciting tour of her life and observations, using her mastery of poetic strategies. You will be entertained as you see vivid images that use history to make every day significant. Leslie's ability to use humor as a serious medium is uncanny. She holds herself and others (including creators of folklore) accountable.

-Ron Lauderbach, Snapshots