Milepost 27 showcases the poet's examination of the effects of climate
change. From the bone altar of a Native American shaman who prays over
disturbed land honoring deceased ancestors to the phantom forests of New
Mexico where a ponderosa forest once thrived, Stablein has an eye for
surreal environments, especially the drought-parched firescapes that
have become increasingly common across the globe.
A number of Stablein's poems recall her post-Beat travels to Asia in the
60s where she studied art for six years. With a keen eye for detail, her
poems evoke the rich cultural and spiritual life of people she met and
places she lived, from New York to Nepal; from Juarez to Varanasi; from
Kathmandu to farflung rivers and seashores.
Her most poignant poems evoke her grief after the unexpected, accidental
death of her son. From despair to acceptance, the arc of the book weaves
up and down, in, out and around the familiar American obsession with the
open road. Ultimately her lonesome journeys down the Jornado del Muerto
adn the Route 66 caminos give way to acceptance, appreciation, and joy.