In Spat, Lois Marie Harrod examines-head-on, upside down and sideways-the little fractures that haunt our intimate relationships. Intentional or no, sometimes mysterious in nature, they lead as often to bafflement as repair. "Well, says my therapist friend/the danger comes/when you start talking..." And also to what glues us together, as in. "...a rabbit leaps/between your legs,/and you feel his fur/brush your calves/and I imagine/I feel it too." Harrod is the keenest of observers-smart, wry, empathic and generous. These poems open windows, allowing us to eavesdrop on the bleating heart. -Juditha Dowd, author of Audubon's Sparrow and Mango in Winter. Who but Lois Marie Harrod would name a book Spat? Although the husband neglects to carry his glass to the sink, he remains "the guest of her heart." Whether about doorknobs, language, or the heart, these poems exhibit Harrod's unique combination of passion and humor. -Penelope Scambly Schott, author of On Dufur Hill Harrod creates various personas in her new book of poems Spat. Some are contemplative, some nostalgic, some whimsical, all are smart. My favorite is the passive/aggressive narrator who asks, "What is there to fix?" about a marriage that needs much fixing. These poems are full of wit, "I don't know how to define our hide and tweak"...and wisdom, "the danger comes when you start talking." And there is music here, playful and beautiful music, "the rat a tat tattle in the brain," "jammering like a jackhammer." When you read these poems aloud, even your mouth will be happy. -Peter E. Murphy, Founder of Murphy Writing of Stockton University