The grace and irony of the human condition abound in Mark McGrain's first published collection of poetry. With the rhythm and pitch of a fluent jazz improvisor, McGrain delivers images of joy, whimsy, and unfettered humility in this canon of personal triumph, tragedy, reflection, and social commentary. Touching upon topics ranging from the city of New Orleans surviving the Federal flood of Hurricane Katrina, enduring the COVID pandemic, the racism and classism rampant in southern American culture, and the gun violence of mass shootings, Etched In A Time Of Reckoning lays bare the comedy of serendipity and heartful musings of love, life, aging, and death. A remarkable, masterful initial outing of a voice rich in emotional depth and literary dimension.