As I read the poems in Laura Apol's newest collection, Cauterized , I feel them existing inside me. This is what I cherish as a reader--to have a poet who skillfully leads me on a journey with her stunning imagery of monarchs, cats, dogs, and the encompassing natural world. Apol weaves beautiful narratives of family, grief, relationships, and the rawness of life always with empathy, always while embracing the lifeblood of existence. She writes, Tonight I am thinking of those things / I didn't know I should love , and I think--How did I live before these poems? The brilliance of this work changed me in the best ways, both as a poet and person. [Laura Apol has cemented her place among my favorite poets, and once you read Cauterized, you'll understand why.] -- Kelli Russell Agodon , author of Dialogues with Rising Tides.