In his debut poetry collection Theampampamp160Nature of Things Fragile Peter Vertacnikampampamp160depicts a world fraught with vulnerabilityampampamp160and loss. Utilizing a wide range of bothampampamp160received and nonce poetic forms includingampampamp160sonnets villanelles triolets a sestinaampampamp160epigrams blank verse and wordcountampampamp160he confronts the illnesses and deaths of loved ones both recent and long pastampampamp160ampampquotFace Valueampampquot ampampamp8220Odd Elegyampampamp8221 ampampamp8220Traceampampamp8221ampampamp160the memories of old houses and townsampampamp160left behind ampampamp8220Departureampampamp8221 Sugar Beetsampampamp8221ampampamp160ampampamp8220Mourning Dovesampampamp8221 and the vanishingampampamp160of onceubiquitous analog particularsampampamp160ampampamp8220Apology to Candlesampampamp8221 ampampamp8220Dial Toneampampamp8221 ampampamp8220Inampampamp160Praise of Blank Cassettesampampamp8221. It is indeed aampampamp160book of elegies but one that also celebratesampampamp160the people places and things itampampamp160laments preserving their names andampampamp160details while laying them to rest.ampampamp160The Nature of Things Fragile is the winnerampampamp160of the twentythird New Criterionampampamp160Poetry Prize.