These poems are peaceful celebrations of the Southern California desert, Scott Zeidel's home. He writes about the desert's profound beauty found in simple, unassuming plants and critters like desert dandelions, blue agaves, monarch butterflies, mockingbirds, kestrels, verdins, and doves.

But Zeidel's poetic voice has room for other things, too-a nostalgic tribute to his youth in "Childhood Quintet, " a sweet whimsical cycle in "Four Love Songs, " the humorous satire of "Headless Chicken Fish" and "The State of the Union Address, " and the political anger of "To Be Exact."

Zeidel often uses a poetic language that's simple and direct, inspired by the Japanese haiku. He uses this concise language to discuss big things like birth, death, rebirth, and time. In Welcome you are invited to enter Zeidel's world of big questions with no answers, his world of bewilderment and wonder.