Pulitzer Prize Poetry Winner

Practical Gods

by Carl Dennis

Summary

Dennis reimagines biblical and classical figures in the textures of contemporary American life, asking what belief and ethical attention might mean today. His tone is conversational and discursive, often built on hypotheticals that test the boundaries between sacred and secular thought. The book treats theology as a neighbor's argument, accessible and human, while keeping the deeper questions intact.

Historical Context & Significance

Dennis is known for his conversational tone and "what if" poems exploring alternate paths in life.