Casey worked as a journalist in the Marines until, in the late l970’s, she attended a writing conference in California where one of the faculty told her she should, be writing poetry instead.  Casey took this person and their work and when she returned to base, declared herself resident poet, meaning she would no longer report to duty.
I gave my name
rank an serial number,
said I was a poet.  Beyond
       that I refused to speak. 
Rather than send her to the brig for going AWOL, Casey’s superior officers sent her to the psych ward.  Part of her time in the psych ward is a subject of this book.