In Small Parental Forest, Chad Norman reaffirms our humanity and vital interconnectedness by immersing himself in the natural world. Norman has the rare ability to write poems that are politically engaging as well as poems that are so delicate that the reader, coming upon them unexpectedly, catches his breath: I sneak outside during the virus invasion to privately witness ... a wee purple crocus poking out of our morning's snowfall With poems such as "The Beauty of the Thistle," and "The ID Cove 20," this collection is bound to impress. - Kenneth Sherman