and various elements come together in surprising, satisfying ways. Without giving away everything, I can tell you that I lost two good nights' sleep fearing that Rita would soon be murdered. All through the narrative, Addonizio's eye for nuance, description, and detail is a gifted poet's eye. Her depictions of homelessness and desperate urban street life are achingly poignant and scary. And yet, and yet! She believes in grace, in spiritual integrity: "The streetlights came on all together. Lights began flaring in windows up and down the block, where people were returning to families or friends, looking forward to the holiday; soon they would give thanks, grateful to spend a few hours with those they had chosen or been given to love, those they had gathered around them to help them live." I wish I'd written that! Reward yourself for any little or big thing and spend some time with this book. If you're paying attention, if you've got a pulse, you can't help but fall in love with these characters and their creator. I have been a fan of Kim Addonizio's work for several years now. I own and have read almost all of her poetry and fiction. Her latest novel "My Dreams Out in the Street" amplifies her versatility as a poet and fiction writer. She is an inspiration to any woman who seeks to write vivid and honest stories or poems. I finished this book in three days and later felt bad for going through it so