A collection of poems so compressed the page itself trembles. So brave, in dark places, the reader clutches the poet's sure hand. Apportioning the Light shines. It shines. "A life lived to its fullest, a craft perfected so that it seems seamless, the highest compliment I can give to any writer. I read it from its beginning to its end without putting it down. Kudos to Cirque for publishing Apportioning the Light." Tom Sexton Sexton's latest poetry collection, Li Bai Rides a Celestial Dolphin Home, will be published in August by the University of Alaska Press. "It's a rare and somewhat envious feeling for those of us who work with words: to page through a book of poetry and think, 'I wish I had written that.' But that is my response to many, many poems in Karen Tschannen's Apportioning the Light. Beginning with the stunningly lovely introduction and including gems like 'Street Songs, ' 'Each Tommorrow, ' 'Unfinished Two-Part Invention, ' and 'On the Importance of Detail, ' Tschannen never fails to remind us that she is in the service of language. She also has imagination-another rarity. Perhaps what I admire most though is this poet's insistence on joy in the face of grief. Enter her world of music and light and I dare you to come away without feeling uplifted." Anne Coray, author of A Measure's Hush "Deserving of high praise, Karen Tschannen's meticulously crafted collection Apportioning the Light gives us poems that move through a woman's memories, joy, sorrow, loves and wisdom. Also what it is for a writer to grapple with language: all experience mediated somewhere between eye and hand. Tschannen has lived more than 50 years in Alaska; she writes beautifully of The Great Land's light and darkness, the fleeting seasons, the resilience of the natural world. These are poems of introspection, honesty, and hope."
About the Author: Karen's Tschannen's poetry developed through close friendships with Alaska poets, Joanne Townsend and McCleary. Tschannen's poetry was influenced by William Stafford, John Haines, and Jim Heinen and other poets of Alaska and the Pacific Northwest. She has been published in Alaska Quarterly Review, Ice-Floe, PNW Poets and Artists Calendar(s), North of Eden (Loose Affiliation Press), The Sky's Own Light (Minotaur Press), Crosscurrents North, Cirque, and other publications. Tschannen was nominated for a Pushcart Prize in 2016. Her perceptive verse is notable for the care taken with language in both the sound of a phrase and the appearance on the page. Karen Tschannen lives in Anchorage, Alaska with her longtime companion, Paul Chatar