In the basement of an antiques store around the corner from the Geist office in Vancouver, there is a large bank of antique cabinets, each drawer of which contains a different trinket. You can find magic tricks and hand creams and wind-up toys and soap and candy, but it is the process of opening each drawer, the moment of anticipation and errant discovery that is the draw. To read Steven Price’s Anatomy of Keys (Brick Books), a debut book of poetry that explores the life of Harry Houdini, is to enjoy a similar experience. Within each poem, the reader finds a bit of truth or fantasy about the legendary man. The power of the work lies in Price’s marvellous creation of verbs, such as “houring down the hours” and “soft feet ghosting the halls.” This, combined with his dramatic use of lists and prophetic statements such as “true faith comforts no one” makes Anatomy of Keys a remarkable achievement and a pleasure to read.