"a book which earns its keep in the realm of immortals"

Having dedicated Bath of Herbs to her mother, Emily Zobel Marshall brings her back to the mortal realm in a ritual of gratitude. With this first poem, a process of transformation begins to give new shape and voice to grief and yearning. From the bath, the purpose of which is to calm the turmoil of birth, a new daughter is born. The mother appears now as a heartbeat, now as a vision, now as a breath. And these illusions are far more real than the reality which awaits us when we must part with and bury a loved one. 

...here’s a book which earns its keep in the realm of immortals, just as the realm of immortals earns its keep in the book through reflection.