Lifeguards

As its title promises, Lifeguards introduces poems whose characters gently tug us through threatening waters to safety. The stories told here—of an alcoholic mother, a nerdy gardener, a heroic boyfriend—are enjoined by a cunning jester-prophet who pops up occasionally in the simple guise of Poet. Whether pondering the delights of Dairy Queen or dry martinis, Joy Roulier Sawyer’s refreshing blend of genuine reverence and sly humor never fails to entertain, exhort, and enlighten. Tracing life from bucolic Kansas swimming pools to blood-soaked urban streets, the poet offers a lasting vision of deep, unapologetic affection—a rare balm in a cynical age.