A stage and screen performer during the height of the Apartheid regime, Ms. Frank has been shaped by the human casualties she witnessed there, and by the vicissitudes of life as a lonely child in an emotionally remote immigrant family. Her imagery is as fresh as if just lived, yet seasoned with the rewards of lifelong reflection.

Drawing richly from the realm of Nature, and from exotic details of a complex inner life, Against a Barren Sky weaves a tapestry of illustrious musical design, exploring loss, sweeping nostalgia, lyrical enchantment, even the journey of a snail in Spring. Whether contemplating death, a mother's rendition of Chopin, youthful journeys on a farm, or chilling encounters with South African Secret Police, Ms. Frank's poems emerge more etched than written, evoking a deeply felt reservoir of human emotion.

Mature yet wondrous, lyrical yet bold, and possessed of a voluptuous range of richly allusive language, Against a Barren Sky announces the arrival of a major new talent.