If the Delta Was the Sea

(Hanging Loose Press) In his eighth book of poems, Lourie explores the heritage of the Yazoo-Mississippi Delta, particularly the city of Clarksdale, long regarded as a center of Delta blues. A poet and a blues saxophone player, Lourie has visited the Delta frequently over the past 10 years to play with local musicians and write about the area. His poems have appeared in numerous literary journals, and he recently published a book of poems entitled Ghost Radio.