Praise for Most of All the Wanting
Situated in the wake of ended relationships or poised in the thrilling world
of newfound desires, Amanda Merpaw’s poems are attuned to the pains and
transformations of love and identity. ‘I write to you from the other side / of
my body,’ she asserts in a poem of characteristic grace and clarity. In Most of
All the Wanting, her lustrous debut, we encounter the pleasurable intimacy
of detail and the raw precision of feeling.
— Richie Hofmann, author of A Hundred Lovers
Each poem, an intimate address to you and you and you. Each line, an offer, ‘filaments electrified with graspings.’ Most of All the Wanting reminds us we need each other to remember our losses, to understand what we want more fully. Amanda Merpaw’s poetry holds your hand under the table, and tells you, lips to ear, ‘Everything is ancient.’ Her voice cuts through the noise of breaking with gentle cadence and wit. Amidst scenes of closeness and estrangement, she asks, ‘Do you imagine anything / as more than temporary?’ and together we multiply ourselves by our answers.
—T. Liem, author of Slows: Twice
Amanda Merpaw 