Distant Engines

Ryan Vine has localized many of the distances our lives traverse; his words lead us back to an unfaced reality. To Ward, the poet's persona hero, these to-ward directions bear both in- and out-ward, confronting himself with himself. Readers will find their ways in these arrivals.   

—Bill Knott​

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These poems take us to a world unlike any other: a world of bonfires, kazoos, shortwave, and a tragi-comic character named Ward. Ryan Vine's work is lively, tough and wise, and Distant Engines marks the debut of an important poet.   

—John Skoyles 

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Ryan Vine's poems are precisely expressed and precisely envisioned. His ear and eye are first rate. In addition, the poems are a pleasure to read, often a rarity these days. Distant Engines is a wonderful beginning.   —Stephen Dobyns​