NOTED POET AND FICTION WRITER MAXINE CHERNOFF'S LEAP YEAR DAY CULLS THE BEST FROM FIVE PREVIOUS COLLECTIONS OF POETRY, AND INCLUDES SOME TWO DOZEN NEW POEMS. SHE IS THE AUTHOR OF THE FICTION COLLECTION BOP. HER PREVIOUS BOOK OF POETRY, NEW FACES OF 1952, WAS WINNER OF THE 1985 CARL SANDBURG AWARD AND RECIPIENT OF A PUSHCART PRIZE WRITER'S CHOICE AWARD. HER LATEST NOVEL IS PLAIN GRIEF 1991. IF THE WORLD COULD LOOK THROUGH MAXINE'S EYE FOR EVEN FIVE MINUTES EVERY DAY, THERE WOULD BE NO NEED WHATSOEVER FOR THE POMPOUS SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS THAT CURRENTLY SPOILS THE POLIS. HER VIEWS OF HUMAN LIFE ARE WISE AND INSTRUCTIVE TALES THAT CURE BY CORRECTING PERSPECTIVE. SHE IS ONE OF OUR BEST ZADDIKS. IT'S THE TRUTH.