One word came to mind as I finished C.M. Crockford’s Mark The Place: life. Whether he is engaging with Elvis and Bruce, lying in bed with his partner, celebrating his mother’s linguistic prowess, or mourning the state of Trump’s heart, this poet is living a life of poetic observation. This is apparent in his poems that contain riveting lines and stanzas that sing with tenderness, sharp social critique, wry humor, and an unabashed outpouring of love. Mark The Place is a collection not only for now (poetic manna for 2020), but for the ages. It is a sterling collection that any poet, including myself, would wish they could have written.

—Sean Hanrahan, author of Safer Behind Popcorn, Gay Cake, and Hardened Eyes on the Scan