A bouillabaisse is a mouth-watering stew of seafood, tomatoes, onions, garlic and spices. Elaine Parker Adams creates a bouillabaisse of haiku poetry, contrasting youth and old age, good times and bad, garden and yard, and tackling two American crises-September 11 and Hurricane Katrina. Many of the poems reflect her experiences growing up in New Orleans. Other poems address contemporary issues, such as cultural diversity and social justice. Her poems on nature emphasize birds, from wise owls to human night hawks. There are moments for chuckles, tears, and sighs. Like a good bouillabaisse, each morsel must be savored.
