Animals is an alphabet book, a bestiary and a coloring book. The poems were not meant for children despite the book's appearance, although children seem to like them. It’s a book I have a special affection for. It’s a book I would love to see reprinted.
I found the first poem, "A is for Ants," scribbled inside William Carlos Williams' Collected Earlier Poems. I didn't remember when I wrote it, but I decided to continue the series all the way through the alphabet.
I have known the artist Keith Newhouse since I began teaching at Drexel. His drawings for Animals are remarkably restrained for him. To see more of his wonderful work, visit his personal website.
My friend John Cech was teaching at Northeastern at the time, and he arranged for the book to be published through a series he started.