Titled after one of the side effects of antidepressants, Unusually Grand Ideas is a poignant account of clinical depression and the complications it introduces to marriage and fatherhood. James Davis May’s poems describe mental illness with nuance, giving a full account of the darkness but also the flashes of hope, love, and even humor that lead toward healing. In pieces ranging from spare lyrical depictions of pain to discursive meditations that argue for hope, May searches for meaning by asking the difficult but important questions that both trouble and sustain us.
James Davis May
James Davis May is an American poet known for his award-winning collection, "Unquiet Things." His lyrical style and vivid imagery explore themes of nature, love, and loss with emotional depth and introspection. May's work has made significant contributions to contemporary poetry, earning him praise for his profound and evocative writing.