The Man Grave portrays the corrosiveness, violence, and loneliness of
all-too-familiar strains of American masculinity. In perceptive and
moving poems, Christopher Salerno explores patriarchy, boyhood, lust,
misogyny and homophobia, infertility, and family in an effort to
diagnose--and remedy--inherited patterns of manliness. "Have I / made it
any further than my father / in his laughter, before his slaughter?"
Salerno writes. His new collection is a moving and generous answer.