Elephant Rocks, Kay Ryan's third book of verse, shows a virtuoso practitioner at the top of her form. Appealing to a wide range of readers, Ryan's work reaches out both to those who wish to be invited into a poem and to those who insist on being persistently intrigued. Above all what distinguishes Kay Ryan as a poet is her flamboyant imagination and large ambition. She has embarked on a major poetic career, and this book confirms her as one of the most distinctive and attractive voices to come along in years.