<p><em>Ghost Dogs</em>, Dion O&rsquo;Reilly&rsquo;s fine first poetry collection, will haunt you the way art should. Bristling with pain, wit, desire, and tenderness, these poems investigate not only &ldquo;the daily harms&rdquo; of an abusive childhood, but the deep solace non-human animals can offer. In vivid, sensual detail, O&rsquo;Reilly conjures her companions: mastiffs with &ldquo;sad, sagging faces,&rdquo; a beloved chestnut mare&rsquo;s &ldquo;glowing coat,&rdquo; a green parrot who has managed to &ldquo;fill a space in the chaos.&rdquo; She doesn&rsquo;t sugarcoat or flinch from suffering&mdash;her own or others&rsquo;&mdash;she transforms it. Line by crackling line, image by unforgettable image. Contemplating her bruised knees in the poem &ldquo;Given,&rdquo; she asks, &ldquo;Is there a way to make it wonderful?&rdquo;&nbsp;<em>Ghost Dogs</em>&nbsp;provides us an answer, a resounding yes. &nbsp;&mdash;Ellen Bass&nbsp;</p>