The Self as Constellation

Winner of the Vassar Miller Prize in Poetry, 2001. The way we construct our selves--as the ancients created meaningful shapes from the random sparkles of the stars at night--is the theme and structural principle of this collection of poems. In writing them, Jeanine Hathaway assumed the constellations of Eldest Child, Ex-Nun, Former Wife, Single Mother, Writer, Teacher, and Pilgrim. Their most notable aspect is their exploration of spirituality, the awe and ambivalence that characterize every significant relationship, whether it be with God, family, friends, invented and historical figures, or oneself.