The Red Rubber Ball of Happiness

The third collection of Frances Williams's poetry features a cast of quirky characters, from lovers, friends, and children to Andy Warhol, Courtney Love, and the first man to photograph a snow crystal, Wilson “Snowflake” Bently. The poems are oblique, tender, reflective, and intelligent; they spin unusual conceits and capture urban snapshots of London street life. Williams’s work as an art critic informs her beautiful poems on artworks as diverse as Japanese prints, medieval frescoes, and surrealist sculptures.