"Famous poet" might be an oxymoron these days, but it's safe to say that Lizzie Skurnick's name is well known in contemporary poetry.

Actually, Skurnick's a poet, blogger and critic with a vast array of publications under her hat, including The New York Times, npr.org, The L.A. Times and the Washington Post. Her live blog, Old Hag, is a Forbes Best of the Web pick, too.

This week, Skurnick takes the mic at Boswell Book Company, 2559 N. Downer Ave., on Tuesday, Sept. 29 at 7 p.m. It's a free event, something that we Milwaukeeans always appreciate.

Skurnick's work is poetic and accessible, but don't take my word for it. Find out for yourself:

Rake
Of course you wind up in a heap.
Don't mistake this for remove.
Love can be a parallel, a rack-
and-tine array with teeth
For every groove. It isn't cheap.
It's only earth. For whatever
That seems worth. As if leaves
Minded when they fell. That
To be seen is to be swept away.

Ring
It's foolish to say I hear bells,
but I think that's the name,
"Bells." ("Bells 2"?) It was playing
the day I met you, informing
the world that you're mine,
you'll come when I call, your
heart lit to the ceiling, loopy
with feeling. A brilliant cut
snapped open, snapped shut
in full circle, trilling, you
want me to answer. I do.