GLASS

Laura Flanagan portrays Kristina, a young woman living at home with her parents and caring for her 5-month-old son. Her voice exudes hope that she can continue to elude her propensity for crystal meth, which sidetracked her from high school graduation and contributed to her pregnancy. But slowly, as she grows more and more unhappy, “the monster” once again takes hold of her. Flanagan changes Kristina's hopeful voice to one imbued with desperation to score her next fix, the sheer exhaustion of coming down, and disregard for her responsibilities to her son and family. The only indications that GLASS unfolds in free verse are the occasional line break and the stressed title line of each poem. Listening to this cautionary tale is as addictive as its topic. M.M.O. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine [Published: MARCH 2009]