"This astonishing young poet is surely destined to be one of the crucial voices of her generation."-Michael Silverblatt, Bookworm

"I applaud Ariana's desire to be disrespectful, lewd, broken, narcissistic-all the unforgivable female crimes which if instead were committed by humans would just be called 'hot.' She does it here and she does it WRONG, cheer, cheer."-Eileen Myles, Poetry Foundation

Composed in the direct, accessible, consciousness-piercing style, Mercury comprises a group of long poems. These interlocking works speak to the substance and essence of what is said, transmitted, transacted, "communicated" between persons. Reines proposes that substance and essence are opposites, and explores this in contexts including commercial cinema and internet porn.

Your music makes me feel lonely

Your music makes me feel lonely

Your music

Makes me feel lonely

Picking a lemon

Late at night

My heart tightens

I fear nature

Your music makes me feel lonely

I must be responsible for it

I'm alive

I have this hair helmet on

I'm so alive

I say yes to the megaplex

You say it's awful isn't it awful

I say yeah

So what. Something sentimental

This place

I agree

Huge

We're gonna go into the movie

. . .

The day is long enough

The day is long enough

The day is so long enough

"Mercury is the smallest planet and the closest to the sun. Mercury, the chemical, is highly toxic, commonly known as Quicksilver, and is the only metal that is liquid at room temperature. Mercury in its book form is filled with shimmering poetry that tastes like cotton candy mixed with cum and works as an antidote to the poison of withholding."-Liz Axelrod, Luna Luna