Patrick O'Connell offers an astonishing meditation on desire and gratitude in three lyrical, imagistic suites of poems. The Joy that Cracked the Mountain takes a close look at the material world, reminding us that "it's always the same question/the simple art of being here." The people in these poems endure heartbreak, nightmares, lightning strikes, and hallucinations. Yet all the while, the beauty of their "being there" flares as brightly as the candle flames that illuminate their small, impermanent lives. Zen-like in form, simple and profound, humorous at times, and always crystal clear. The joy he speaks of is hard-won, and the book's courageous spiritual celebration takes place in full recognition of the "ten thousand sorrows" of human existence.