Curated from over six decades of writing, the poems in What I Cannot Abandon by William Guest paint an inimitable portrait of the human experience. Contemplating both the mysteries and miracles of life, as well as the challenges of aging and mortality, Guest expertly assesses life’s joys and sorrows with insight and tenderness. Through their reckoning with the world at large, these eclectic poems engage the wonder of the universe with buoyancy and pleasure, ultimately staring darkness in the face to learn that, yes, there are still plenty of reasons to rejoice.