Leaves of Sass

Are we “nothing . . . less than the dust of the earth,” as scripture says? Or are we “children of God,” as scripture also says? This paradox calls for a response, and Leaves of Sass is one, necessary because it has been made possible. Sass, in this poet's view, is not disrespectful—it is humbly, honestly, and passionately confrontational, a poetic poke in the nose, but not a slap in the face. A life is all that is offered up as evidence of the oppositions in mortality, and conclusions as to fairness or unfairness are left to the reader. And by the end even the Devil gets his due.