Cloudwatcher

by Michael Bazzett

Genres: Poetry

88 pages, Paperback

Published April 7, 2026

About the author

MICHAEL BAZZETT is the author of five books of poetry: You Must Remember This, (Winner of the 2014 Lindquist & Vennum Prize for Poetry); Our Lands Are Not So Different (Horsethief Books, 2017); The Interrogation (Milkweed Editions, 2017); The Temple (Bull City Press, 2020); and The Echo Chamber (Milkweed, 2021). His translation of the creation epic of the Maya, The Popol Vuh, (Milkweed, 2018) was named one of 2018's best books of poetry by the New York Times. He is the recipient of a fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts, and his poems have appeared in numerous publications, including Ploughshares, The Sun, The American Poetry Review, Tin House, & The Iowa Review. A longtime faculty member at The Blake School, in Minneapolis, Bazzett has received the Bechtel Prize from Teachers & Writers Collaborative.

Reviews

[Richelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had never heard of local poet Michael Bazzett until I attended a Maggie Smith author event in March. Hearing her praise his work meant that I bought his latest poetry book, which I have now read, and now I must read everything he has ever written.

Bazzett’s poetry is full of philosophy and nature, laced with wit, wonder and delight. I like how he is able to take an ordinary scene and infuse it with a bit of awe, humor, and meaning in a way that isn’t too overbearing or serious. There is a deep reverence to his poetry that I love and enjoy.

My favorite poems in this collection are “On Average” and “The Extra, The Ordinary.”

I highly recommend this volume as a launchpad to Bazzett’s work.

[Benjamin Niespodziany · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clouds and rivers swirl through Bazzett's fifth full-length poetry collection. He (always) does such a masterful job of blending the surreal with the comedic with the reflective and the divine. It's conversational yet challenging. Serious poetry with a slight smirk, or humorous poetry with a serious tinge. I love these poems. I'm a Bazzett completionist, having read all three of his chapbooks, all five of his poetry collections, and both of his translations. I recommend you do the same.

[Burgi Zenhaeusern · Rating 5 out of 5]

In many ways Cloudwatcher is an ars poetica about embodying language, of dazzling beauty and peppered with splendid irony. Irony plays with distance, provides a place to stay hidden, puts up a mirror. You can't see beyond a mirror. The speaker remains in control, or so it seems. Cloudwatcher's poems are of stunning artistry. They keep their reader at a distance that feels safe for their speaker.

[Tia Billig · Rating 4 out of 5]

a great poetry collection with reflections on time and nature ((emphasis on water))