Book excerpt: Buddha in My Belly offers many surprises: word by word, page by page. There is much poetry in this prose poetry. The form's inherent hybridity helps create the off-kilter world we are asked to navigate. The language is lively, at times melodic, at times madcap. At every turn, one finds a mischief in, as well as mastery of, the medium. The funny here is downright serious; the moribund gives over, more often than not, to the comedic. This debut collection is a delightful discovery. -Eric Pankey, author of The Pear as One Example: New and Selected Poems 1984-2008