I like this 'tude particularly. Tom Beckett's poetry may be under rated because he's done such great work as editor, including his nifty blog interviews, but it is worth notice. his measure, to my ear, brings Niedecker to mind. the writing of both writers shows a beguiling modesty. not in the sense of artistic meekness, in fact something quite the opposite and more ferocious, if you can imagine a restrained and gentle ferocity (I am confident you can). the modesty occurs in relation to the words used, and the sort of careful work that is done therewith. with both writers, the poetry doesn't flash but has a well-earned solidity. I really respect this even if it is not within my powers as a writer (in the same way that Jordan Davis's perfect and perfectly restrained diaristic perception (I'm sloppily agreeing with Jonathan Mayhew) or, for that matter, Jack Kimball's wry oblique insistence, or Alli Warren's surprising skew (when she's at home) all fuddle my personal scope. I don't otherwise connect Tom's work with Niedecker. (when I talk compartively of artists I very often resort to resemblance, not in a critical sense of indebtedness but as a means of description only). this particular poem situates distinct words together in a tight atomic unity. jeepers! I'm glad Tom is 'out there'. I mean, not to defend blah-blah-blogosphere, excresences occur, but his blog is an example of an opportunity for those reading.