Allison LaSorda's Stray shows the formation of a considerable poetic talent. These poems are sun-bleached, at once gritty, raw, and playful. LaSorda can conjure childhood memories of beaches and ice cream, ponder the elemental force of the ocean, and plumb the depth of loss in a coal mine disaster. In this remarkable collection, she presents the messiness of daily life with emotional honesty and humour. With deft word play and a musical sense, Stray examines intimacy, memory, and decay, often betraying existential bewilderment. In this dazzling and disarming debut, LaSorda breathes fresh life into Canadian poetry.