Down to the Quick

From the battles for civil rights and equal rights, to war and its aftermath, to the enduring tragedies of drugs, racism, poverty and disease that play out daily in American cities, to the interior dramas of her life, Nancy Scott opens our eyes through the compassionate lens of her poetry. With a deceptively stoical tone, Down to the Quick reveals a sharp-eyed poet's sensibility deftly applied to the social realities and cultural shocks of the second half of "the American century."

Sander Zulauf, Editor, Journal of New Jersey Poets





Nancy Scott's poems - always precise and polished - reflect her love for language that is alive and charged with meaning. Her work is guided by a moral vision that leads her to understand and empathize with people who are hurt, forgotten, and victimized. After reading her poems we come away with a greater awareness and understanding of our endless human connections.

Sam Longmire, Editor, Out of Line






Nancy Scott's Down to the Quick is a powerful collection of poems that evoke images of passion and loss, pain and joy, survival and death. Her book presents vivid, emotionally charged pictures of an era some forty years ago, as well as scenes from present life, dramatic moments made real and meaningful in her skillful conversion of plain-spoken language into wonderful poetry.

Poet Jean Hollander's most recent publication is a verse translation of Dante's Commedia published by Doubleday.