Strap: Poems

by Dan Kraines

76 pages, Paperback

Published March 10, 2026

Reviews

[Madeleine Barnes · Rating 5 out of 5]

STRAP is a tender, astute poetry collection that is not to be missed. Linguistically gorgeous and fiercely observant, Kraines’ poetry addresses desire, sexuality, play, queerness, home, trauma, violence, religion, and the complexities of navigating intimacy and human connection in a violent world--and more. This courageous and masterful full-length debut references daily life, philosophy, history, and current events; it weaves moments and memories together with care, artfulness, and an eye toward questions of justice and grief. One of my favorite lines is this: "Heart inside the sunflower field, twist back toward me." The speaker walks us through a history of longing and shows us what it looks like to pause inside of a moment, an affect, an emotion, instead of avoiding or bypassing it, standing firmly in sharp contrast to a world that asks us to react instead of reflect; to avoid instead of confronting emotion. Reading this book reminds me of why I love poetry; do not skip this debut.

[Bruce E · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kraines' wide-ranging universe and probing imagination are focused here on the yearnings and limitations of the body, its gender, its place, the people it encounters. A trip on a ferry, a sojourn in Israel, a trip to the barber, a Michael Jackson song heard in a diner, are all points of departure for these beautifully-shaped poems of exploration. Destination rarely certain, but the voyage always fascinating. Evocative, and certain to inspire the reader's own reflections about yearnings past, present and future, these poems bring a kind, insightful spirit to bear on the complex lives we all try to lead. We all wonder, "Can I accept the flaws that broke me into being here." These are the kinds of questions these poems ask, letting us seek the answers.

[Lisa Hiton · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I’ve ever read. Deep, moving, erotic—a work that will have readers reckoning with what makes a self and how to carry it through time.