Before Dragonflies hurdles the reader through time, space, perception in a multitude of styles and forms. J. Delayne Ryms trusts the reader, shocks us into thought, never lulls us into complacency. She observes, she names, she is precise and accurate, she immerses us in multi-sensory experience. Themes of geologic time, of layers, of horses are all brilliant organizational principles for the heart of struggle in this collection. Within this poetry, she makes us feel deeply, ache, wonder, and occasionally rejoice.—Susan Edwards Richmond is the author of Bird Count; Before We Were Birds; Increase;Purgatory Chasm; Birding in Winter; and BotoFor several decades, I have been convinced of J Delayne Ryms’ unique poetic genius. Each poem that I have received from her over the years has come as a burst of light bringing with it something new and original. This collection proves her genius as an original American poet and spirit. Her special blend of passion, mind, and imagination makes her a truly original force and presence among our most prominent modern poets. She writes with a Southern vision and voice that recognizes the darkness, pain, and loss in life that must be countered with the energy and creativity of an enlightened moral and creative imagination. She turns disability and pain into strengths for survival and triumph. She writes a poetry of love and hope and the power of the human spirit. With this magnificent collection of her poetry, her time has come.—Sam B. Girgus is the author of Time, Existential Presence, and the Cinematic Image;Clint Eastwood’s America; Levinas and the Cinema of Redemption; America on Film;Hollywood Renaissance; The Films of Woody Allen; Desire and the Political Unconscious inAmerican Literature; The New Covenant; The Law of the HeartDelayne Ryms has given us a searingly honest and generous-hearted volume of poetry. Employing precise language, piercing imagery, and stunning metaphors, she explores a fragile landscape of human suffering and sacrifice, as well as the enduring beauty of the natural world. This collection is so much more than the sum of its parts. It is a memorable journey that takes us to new worlds (interior and otherwise). It holds up a mirror in which we can view our own lives with greater clarity.—Sara DeLuca is the author of Dancing the Cows Home: A Wisconsin Girlhood, and TheCrops Look Good: News from a Midwestern Family Farm (Minnesota Historical Society Press)J Delayne Ryms has produced an amazing chapbook of absolutely gorgeous lyrical work, beautifully arranged for the reader to understand from where her poetic nerve derives.—Pat Butler is an award winning poet who has published in numerous literature journalsand online magazines