New Book :: Horse Not Zebra

Horse Not Zebra
Poetry by Eric Nelson
Terrapin Books, April 2022
ISBN: 978-1-947896-54-3
Paperback, 94pp; $17

This newest collection of poems from writer and Georgia Southern University emeritus Eric Nelson captures the essence of everyday life through the lens of having been there, done that, and paid close attention. The title poem begins, “When med students are learning / how to diagnose symptoms, they’re told / think horse, not zebra – the common, no the exotic.” And though the subject matter may seem common by their titles, “My Alarm,” “Mulch,” “By Campfire,” and “Parade,” Nelson is able to lift these subjects up to the scrutiny of our own experiences, shared through his own, in ways that, while perhaps not exotic, resonate a sense of wholeness and completion. And there must be a story behind why bears appear repeatedly throughout.