Forty Bouts in the Wilderness

In this searing collection, verse blends with lyrical prose, in a nonce form that includes striking tercets and footnotes to narrate a deeply moving memoir of loss and of grappling with faith. The tender and direct language in Forty Bouts in the Wilderness propels the reader through difficult human experiences and life-long remembering that can expand and transform those experiences. The authenticity of this book sets it apart and makes me want to re-read it. The immaculate imagery embeds it in my memory.

-Eileen Cleary, author of Wild Pack of the Living

With language that is varied and urgent; elegant syntax; and a tone that is both mournful and buoyant, Forty Bouts in the Wilderness is a layered story of loss and redemption. Two consecutive miscarriages and a father's recovery from a stroke are at the heart of its braided and recursive narrative.

-Risa Denenberg, author of Rain/Dweller and

MoonPath Press 2024 Sally Albiso Award judge

Forty Bouts in the Wilderness by Katy E. Ellis embraces grief, disbelief, and acceptance. Reading the first section recalls Infinite Jest where the true narrative takes place in footnotes of objective prose. They counterbalance tense tercets in form and tone, fostering a kind of voiceover effect. In the second section, the poet examines her own piety, language, and guilt, attempting to understand how anyone "[comes] to be in this place, in this body, in this life."

-Allen Braden, author of A Wreath of Down and Drops of Blood