Smashing that New Year's Resolution
Hey All!
So in 2008, I made it a New Year's Resolution to try to be more aggressively supportive of poets / poetry I love. One of the ways I tried to be more aggressive was to begin reviewing books on Amazon.com, provided they fit into all my criteria (discussed in this LJ entry).
In 2009, I decided to up it and resolve to do at least TWO reviews a month on Amazon, and try really heard to find book that I loved by poets I'm *not* already friends with (and yet who still fit the criteria).
Well, I've lived up to my resolution for the first five months (whew!) and so I thought I'd share the reviews here as well. I mean, summertime is made for eating BBQ and reading good books, so why not point my LJ pals to these books! They are super good!
And of course, I encourage MORE people to write reviews on Amazon! Especially for books by people in our community! I don't know a single slammer who hasn't proudly pointed to Jeff McDaniel as a shining example of a slam poet who's done good -- so it's so weird to me that my review is still THE ONLY review for his book over a year after it's come out? If we love him so much in casual conversation or post-feature Q&A's, why can't we say it for the general public to see?
But blah blah blah -- here are my nutball reviews!
POETS I'M PALS WITH
Scandalabra
by Derrick C. Brown
thick, juicy cut of poetry
Reviewed: January 5, 2009
Fans of Derrick Brown's sly, romantic work will not be disappointed by this staggering new book. In its 200+ pages, Brown showcases an impressive breadth and depth of style, tone and subject matter. All that Brown brings to his electric live performances he also brings to the page, meaning the verse found here can be alternatively haunting or horny, lushly lengthy or sharply short, abstractly funny and heartbreakingly personal. It is a complex and earned triumph for this hard-working road poet!
Ka-Ching! (Pitt Poetry Series)
by Denise Duhamel
charmingly playful & unselfconsciously honest
Reviewed: January 30, 2009
It's been over 15 years since Denise Duhamel made her debut with the book, "Smile!" and her poetry has not skipped a beat since. An ardent and curious poet, she has slyly tackled every conceivable style and form, every subject matter and perspective, and has solidly earned her her community's respect.
With her latest book, "Ka-Ching!," Duhamel continues this poetic play. Using a variety of styles -- free verse, sestinas, sonnets, pantoums, villanelles, and more -- Duhamel writes about a diverse number of subjects: money, love, art, fame, family, country, missed opportunities, and tragedies big and small.
But what makes this range of subjects and styles so impressive is no matter the topic, no matter the form, Duhamel's spirit and clear honest voice shines. The resulting pieces are warm, human and utterly unpretentious. I'm embarrassed to admit that I began wishing for subway delays and slow elevators, just so I didn't have to stop reading!
I highly recommend this charming and accomplished book. It definitely holds its own against Duhamel's already impressive oeuvre, and would serve as a great introduction to anyone interested in how form poetry is tackled with humor and style by modern poets.
Uncontrolled Experiments in Freedom
by Brian Ellis
a remarkable, eye-opening debut
Reviewed: March 31, 2009
"Uncontrolled Experiments in Freedom" is an absolutely remarkable debut book by Boston-based performance poet Brian S. Ellis.
By perfectly capturing the emotional and physical landscapes of working class America, Ellis allows the reader's access into the little-discussed and barely understood world of the young and struggling. Whether hilariously boasting of his skills as a grocery store cashier, or dryly counting down the minutes of his graveyard shift at local convenience store, or unflinchingly recalling his experiences living his car, Ellis provides a complex vision of what life is like for him and his friends. Some poems are celebratory, some are grim, but all vibrate with the same beautiful, pure intensity and all have images and lines that will absolutely cut you to the bone. Every single one wakes you up, and makes you see your world with fresh eyes.
I highly recommend this book, and congratulate Write Bloody Publishing on adding another amazing poet for their stellar stable of authors.
Kissing Dead Girls
by Daphne Gottlieb
dark, complex & delicious
Reviewed: May 4, 2009
Daphne Gottlieb made her name in spoken word by writing and performing edgy, non-conventional work. She doesn't shine her poetic flashlight into the dark corners of the human experience, as much as she snaps the flashlight off and sits within the darkness herself until she can communicate the experience honestly.
Her latest book of poetry, "Kissing Dead Girls," would seem, at first glance, a bit gimmicky. After all, for a poet whose work is already highly associated with darker themes and sexuality, writing a book where she has romantic liaisons with deceased historical figures might seem like a no brainer.
But Gottlieb takes what could have been a very easy book for her to write, and instead produces what might be her most challenging and complex collection to date. Her poems about "kissing dead girls" show these historical women as real women, interacting within the Gottlieb as they would a real lover. For instance, in the piece about Marilyn Monroe (my personal favorite), Monroe is shown in such a wonderful, sincere and multi-faceted way: bubbly yet manic, beautiful yet insecure, haunting yet haunted, and even alive yet dead.
The title series is just one themed series which runs through the book, which is so dense with wonderful material, it takes several sittings to reach the end -- and that's a compliment! I have to admit, I was shocked by some of the pieces, both in terms of her chosen subject matter and her raw approach. But doesn't poetry need more moments like that -- wake-up calls to the fact that not everything in poetry should be safe, or presented in such way that makes your feel comfortably distant. Sometimes we need a Gottlieb to shake us up a bit, show us the dark so that we can appreciate the light.
The Endarkenment (Pitt Poetry Series)
by Jeffrey McDaniel
dark, complex, mature
Reviewed: January 14, 2009
I first was introduced to the poetry of Jeffrey McDaniel in the late 1990s and -- like every other poet I knew -- I became an instant fan. He released three books with SF's Manic D Press that showcased his quirk, his bravado and his singularly poetic voice: an instantly recognizable thing which is damn near impossible to duplicate.
In 2008, McDaniel published "The Endarkenment," his first book of poetry on an university press and a departure from the looser, spangled verse of his early collections. This book is grounded, adult even, but without losing the McDaniel's unique poetic qualities.
The poems gleam with equals parts awe and heartbreak. He talks with an earned candor about his childhood, his alcoholic past and the birth of his daughter, bending common words and phrases until they become clean, complex instruments for his vision. The book isn't without its humor -- "Boner Etiquette" being an obvious stand-out -- but it really shines when McDaniel takes a hard look into the darker parts of his life.
Highly recommended for fans of McDaniel who want to see the next part of this amazing poet's evolution.
Take the Mic: The Art of Performance Poetry, Slam, and the Spoken Word
by Marc Kelly Smith
empowering advice from the creator of the Poetry Slam
Reviewed: May 27, 2009
When first experiencing a poetry slam, audience members can be shocked to see how expressive and electric poetry can be. The poets who perform in these high energy poetic competitions not only write fresh and modern verse, but are also committed to bring these poems to life with solid, engaging performances.
Author Marc Kelly Smith created the Poetry Slam in the mid-1980s with the goal of bringing poetry back to the people. In the decades since, Smith has toured extensively -- throughout the U.S.A and around the world -- while still running the famed Chicago Green Mill Poetry Slam and encouraging new voices. Smith has taken all that he's learned about how to be a performance poet, and put it in this book.
With "Take the Mic," Smith engages and challenges the reader through every step of development, from "virgin" to professional. He starts with the basics -- history, community, intent -- and moves on how to tackle writing your first poems, how to properly vocalize your poetry, how to use your body to make your performance effective. Each section is filled with tips, exercises and things to avoid, and each section ends with a "If you remember anything, remember..." side bar which drives home Smith's vision for poetry.
But where most books about performance end, Smith continues -- giving advice on how to handle gigs, how to shape your show, how to get press and how to book a tour. He balances solid tips and common sense advice, provides websites and books for further information, and embues everything with a deep sense of purpose and decency. Smith's belief in the power of poetry, and his passion to make sure every person who wants to be a poet becomes the best poet they can be, is the bedrock on this book.
I highly recommend this book for something wanting to stretch their poetic wings. Even "page poets" looking to up their game will find a lot of helpful advice in here.
Quiver: Poems (VQR Poetry) (The Vqr Poetry Series)
by Susan B. A. Somers-Willett
exploring the wonder of science with a keen poetic eye
Reviewed: February 26, 2009
For some reason, when people think about "science," it tends to evoke a feeling of cold sterility. Visions of fluorescently lit labs, gleaming test tubes and clinical tools set the stage for a series of bloodless scientists, who march around in scrubs or labcoats, swishing, injecting and taking dry notes.
Thankfully, poet Susan B.A. Somers-Willett understands that real science is a lot more complicated -- and beautiful -- than all that.
With her latest book, "Quiver," Somers-Willett explores science's lush landscape, taking apart the world so that we might marvel it with her. She also humanizes a vast array of famous scientists -- including Darwin, Curie and DaVinci -- showing them to be who they truly were: frustrated, conflicted and passionately obsessed.
But more than the wonderful theme holding this collection together, there is Somers-Willett's evocative poetic voice. Describing a DaVinci autopsy, she writes that he "opens the body's proportion, fearful symmetry / glistening in the flat wet lungs like a bird's folded wings" Describing insects caught in amber, she writes: "they cradle things dear / a twig or favorite shell, / swift darling prey; even the acid- /mouthed spider folds his legs like an ancient / card table and clutches his belly for comfort." In other poem, a frog "hears / with his lungs' fleshy tremor / the loose bango string of his own throat."
The poems awaken us to the world around us, but with a twist. These aren't simply nature poems or romantic musings about the stars, they are smart, full verse marveling and exploring in equal turns, as fascinated in the dark matter holding the stars in place as they are in the stars themselves.
POET I'M NOT PALS WITH (YET!)
What Goes On: Selected and New Poems 1995-2009
by Stephen Dunn
an invigorating and illuminating collection
Reviewed: April 21, 2009
Some poets are able to capture an extraordinary moment in their poetry, illuminating for the reader something completely unparalleled, something which makes the reader sit up and go, "Whoa, I wish I could have experienced that."
But other poets are able to see the extraordinary in the ordinary. They are able to reflect on something common (the burial of a family pet, a wife's arrival home, the endless cycle of tabloid news) and show each beautiful angle, each hidden emotion -- both comic and tragic.
Stephen Dunn's "What Goes Around" delves heavily into the latter, allowing the reader to experience ordinary life in new, glittering way. After spending some time with this book, I was left seeing my world with fresh eyes, seeing poetry in everything, as Mr. Dunn seemingly does.
This is a poet working at his full potential: confident but intimidating, cleanly lean but not boringly sparse, experimental but not alienating. It's a wonderful, fulfilling collection for any Dunn fan, and a wonderful introduction to his work for those not already smitten by Dunn and his transcending verse.
Same Life: Poems
by Maureen N. McLane
airy, luminous, charming
Reviewed: May 1, 2009
I have to confess that my favorite type of poetry is narrative poetry, dense on the page and deliciously crammed with images and stories. I like finishing a book of poetry, and feeling like I've gotten to know a new friend -- from the foods they like to eat, to the people they fall in love with, to the music they listen to when they think no one else is around.
So imagine my surprise when "Same Life" by Maureen McLane found its way into my bag and how soon I became captivated by its airy, luminous charm.
With poems that simply float all over on the page, McLane invites the reader not so much into her life as much as into her very thoughts. She travels the landscapes of America, of literature and of love with sly, confident voice. Some of my favorite poems were so short, they felt like the poet was whispering her insights to you in sotto voce, producing perfect clever gems that stuck in my head for days. Other longer form work allowed McLane to share fuller stories, but without giving too much away -- a poetic smoke and mirrors.
Considering my narrative inclinations when it comes to poetry, it should come as no surprise that I finished the book wanting to know more about the author than she was prepared to give in verse, but nonetheless, I truly enjoyed taking a break from my usual poetic fare with this smart, Basho-esque book
Dear Darkness: Poems
by Kevin Young
a rich, clear-eyed celebration of life & family
Reviewed: March 10, 2009
It took me several weeks to build up the confidence to actually buy Kevin Young's "Dear Darkness." After all, the book is currently only available in hardcover and $27 is no small chunk of change to spend on a poetry book (especially in this bum economy).
But after wearing a hole into my copy of "To the Confederate Dead" (the fantastic book Young published previous to "Dear Darkness"), I knew I would have to suck it up and just buy the darn thing. And I can tell you know, that it is absolutely worth it.
Clocking in at nearly 200 pages, "Dear Darkness" is a beautifully hefty book, rich in tone and language. Dealing with the aftermath of his father's death, Young -- an "only son of an only son" -- takes careful pains to illuminate and celebrate everything which fills his life. This means poems about aunties, uncles and cousins, as well as odes to catfish, gumbo and sweet potato pie, alongside poetry riffing on blues songs, childhood bullies and contemporary life in the big city, among numerous other topics.
Young is able to brilliantly write about his past and his present, balancing the amber glow of nostalgia with the sharp angles of reality. His work is not without humor or without pathos, and his voice and approach is almost unrelentingly fresh and honest. Sometimes when I read poems built around a theme (of which there are many in this book), I can tell which poems are the "anchor poems" and which were just thrown into the mix to flesh out the theme. But with Young, each piece dazzles, each pieces adds depth and contrast.
"Dear Darkness" continues Young's stellar tradition of beautiful, earned, solid books of poetry, and I highly recommend this book to anyone itching for an opportunity to see their world with fresh eyes.
For the Confederate Dead
by Kevin Young
haunting and illuminating
Reviewed: February 4, 2009
I have a special fondness for books which give me smart, researched insight into worlds / places / experiences with which I'm only slightly familiar. I also have a special fondness for writers who are willing to open themselves up, let the reader see behind the curtain a little bit.
With "For the Confederate Dead," poet Kevin Young satisfies both these needs, and then some.
Young's work is steeped in research and succeeds in giving voices to previously the unheard / under-heard stories of black America before, during and after the Civil War. The poems he has constructed are limber and muscular, fresh. They don't position these stories in the context of a heavy, velveted history, but rather allows them to exist seemingly in the present -- giving the reader the freedom to imagine what it was like to be there, to be that person, without feeling like they need a degree in history to get it right.
Throughout the book, Young also weaves the stories of his own life -- including a beautiful, celebratory poem about the passing of Chicago's great poet Gwendolyn Brooks (this poem starts the book) and a series of poems following Young as he comes to grips with the death of a close friend (these poems close the book).
Young is an extremely gifted poet, who is nonetheless still exploring this world and his talent. I highly recommend this book, and look forward to future books.
Don’t Leave Hungry: Fifty Years of Southern Poetry Review
by James Smith
A Celebration of Fifty Years of Poetry
Reviewed: May 14, 2009
It boggles my mind that a poetry journal could even last fifty years, let alone last fifty years and still remain relevant and muscular, able to celebrate poetic voices old and new.
The Southern Poetry Review has earned this beautiful book, which showcases a wide scope of voices. As the Southern Poetry Review published a variety of poets, there is a variety of tones, styles and subjects matters. Sometimes this works well, but other times I wished there was a little more cohesiveness.
The book was organized in chronological order -- which makes utter sense, of course! -- but sometimes I wished it was organized by theme, allowing new and old poems on similar themes to compliment each other, and allowing the anthology to showcase those thematic "through lines" which make a poem "Southern Poetry Review"-worthy, not matter in which decade it was written.
Still, it is the Southern Poetry Review deserves a ton of praise for its amazing work in the service of poetry, and this thick collection is filled with some wonderful verse!
The United States of Poetry (DVD)
the best poetry tv series yet made
Reviewed: February 24, 2009
If the only televised poetry programming you have seen has been from HBO ("Russell Simmon's Presents Def Poetry") or MTV ("Spoken Word Unplugged"), then I highly recommend the PBS series "The United States of Poetry," a fantastic series celebrating American verse which was utterly ahead of its time.
"The United States of Poetry" not only emancipates poetry from the page but frees it from the traditional performance stage. Instead taking the traditional tack of filming poets doing their thing live behind a mike, visionary director Mark Pellington provides depth and contrast with creative visuals and real & poetic landscapes, allowing each poet's work to really shine. It is wonderful to see and hear work by some of America's best known poets, including Allen Ginsburg, Rita Dove, Leonard Cohen, Derek Walcott, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Sandra Cisneros and Bob Holman, among many many others.
Organized by theme ("A Day in the Life," "Love and Sex," etc...), the series shows a compelling and diverse vision of American poetry. Even better, the poets are introduced only with their name and the poem's title -- no biography, titles or prizes spotlighted. Slam poets and Cowboy poets are introduced the same as Pulitzer Prize winners and U.S. poet laureates! It has a wonderfully empowering effect, allowing you to value each piece based on whether or not it resonates with you as opposed to the pedigree of its writer.
Even though it is over a decade old, I still return to this series again ang again. I am so thrilled that it is finally on DVD as my poor worn-out VHS was on its last legs. I hope the new format will inspire more people to check out this wonderful & inspiring series!
GRAPHIC NOVELS
Funny Misshapen Body: A Memoir
by Jeffrey Brown
a fascinating, non-linear look into how an artist develops
Reviewed: April 21, 2009
I've been a sucker for Jeffrey Brown since my partner gave me copies of his books, "Clumsy" and "Unlikely," which were autobiographical collections of comic strips recording two lusty, doomed relationships. I immediately became smitten with the intimacy and honesty Brown showed, and have been following him ever since.
With "Funny Misshapen Body," Brown focuses his attention on yet another love of his love: art. Like his previous books, Brown embraces the D.I.Y./zine aesthetic, with line drawings that are disarmingly simplistic and storylines that seem (at first) randomly chosen. But the more the reader invests into the book, the more we see how seemingly random events -- positive attention, leveling criticism, books handled to Brown at the right moment -- all lead Brown to the path he is on right now.
What I liked most about this book are not the triumphs, but the stumbles. We see Brown experiment and flouder, drinking and smoking his way through his education, embracing and abandoning projects. Brown shows every awkward inch of his uneven journey, and even a bit of regret about some of his other passions (painting, poetry, etc...) which fell to the wayside when his vision of doing his own comics became clearer.
Like James Kochalka's "Cute Manifesto," Brown's "Funny Misshapen Body" is a fascinating look into the creative mind of an comics artist, alive and working today. Not to mention, it's another solid addition to any Jeffrey Brown collection.
Snakepit 2008
by Ben Snakepit
Ben Snakepit Grows Up
Reviewed: May 14, 2009
I'm a sucker for autobiography -- whether it comes in the form of traditional memoir, poetry collection, or graphic novel. Hence I was thrilled to have stumbled upon the latest book from Austin comic-diarist, Ben Snakepit, titled, "Snakepit 2008," which -- as you could likely guess -- reproduces his entire autobiographical strip for the year 2008.
I last caught up with Ben Snakepit in his collection, "Life in the Jugular Vein," which showcased three years of strips up to the end of 2006. I must have missed a lot in the "Snakepit 2007," as this collection showcases Ben with a steady girlfriend, a steady job, steady living arrangements, and even a happily vetted-and-groomed dog. Quite the difference from "Jugular Vein" Ben, which saw him couch-surfing and touring throughout the world and trying his hardest to find love & career satisfaction between drinking binges, raging fights and hospital-worthy spider bites.
That being said, you have to hand it to Ben for keeping up the strip even as his life transitions from one of complete chaos to one that is substantially more settled -- i.e., "Snakepit 2008" features Ben opening up his first bank account in several decades as well as budgeting for a new truck and its repairs.
If you are looking for an introduction to the work of Ben Snakepit or are looking for a graphic diary of the wilder side of Austin, I strongly suggest check out his earlier books. This one is fairly tame, and even a tad dry / boring (something that even Ben acknowledges -- defending himself by saying that he isn't going to do crazy stuff just to make his comic diary more interesting, because that was "never the point" of doing the strip).
That being said, this current collection has definitely made in interested in future Snakepit comics, if not just to see if this maturation process continues / sticks, or if he falls back into old ways -- either way, sign me up for the ride.
So in 2008, I made it a New Year's Resolution to try to be more aggressively supportive of poets / poetry I love. One of the ways I tried to be more aggressive was to begin reviewing books on Amazon.com, provided they fit into all my criteria (discussed in this LJ entry).
In 2009, I decided to up it and resolve to do at least TWO reviews a month on Amazon, and try really heard to find book that I loved by poets I'm *not* already friends with (and yet who still fit the criteria).
Well, I've lived up to my resolution for the first five months (whew!) and so I thought I'd share the reviews here as well. I mean, summertime is made for eating BBQ and reading good books, so why not point my LJ pals to these books! They are super good!
And of course, I encourage MORE people to write reviews on Amazon! Especially for books by people in our community! I don't know a single slammer who hasn't proudly pointed to Jeff McDaniel as a shining example of a slam poet who's done good -- so it's so weird to me that my review is still THE ONLY review for his book over a year after it's come out? If we love him so much in casual conversation or post-feature Q&A's, why can't we say it for the general public to see?
But blah blah blah -- here are my nutball reviews!
POETS I'M PALS WITH
Scandalabra
by Derrick C. Brown
thick, juicy cut of poetry
Reviewed: January 5, 2009
Fans of Derrick Brown's sly, romantic work will not be disappointed by this staggering new book. In its 200+ pages, Brown showcases an impressive breadth and depth of style, tone and subject matter. All that Brown brings to his electric live performances he also brings to the page, meaning the verse found here can be alternatively haunting or horny, lushly lengthy or sharply short, abstractly funny and heartbreakingly personal. It is a complex and earned triumph for this hard-working road poet!
Ka-Ching! (Pitt Poetry Series)
by Denise Duhamel
charmingly playful & unselfconsciously honest
Reviewed: January 30, 2009
It's been over 15 years since Denise Duhamel made her debut with the book, "Smile!" and her poetry has not skipped a beat since. An ardent and curious poet, she has slyly tackled every conceivable style and form, every subject matter and perspective, and has solidly earned her her community's respect.
With her latest book, "Ka-Ching!," Duhamel continues this poetic play. Using a variety of styles -- free verse, sestinas, sonnets, pantoums, villanelles, and more -- Duhamel writes about a diverse number of subjects: money, love, art, fame, family, country, missed opportunities, and tragedies big and small.
But what makes this range of subjects and styles so impressive is no matter the topic, no matter the form, Duhamel's spirit and clear honest voice shines. The resulting pieces are warm, human and utterly unpretentious. I'm embarrassed to admit that I began wishing for subway delays and slow elevators, just so I didn't have to stop reading!
I highly recommend this charming and accomplished book. It definitely holds its own against Duhamel's already impressive oeuvre, and would serve as a great introduction to anyone interested in how form poetry is tackled with humor and style by modern poets.
Uncontrolled Experiments in Freedom
by Brian Ellis
a remarkable, eye-opening debut
Reviewed: March 31, 2009
"Uncontrolled Experiments in Freedom" is an absolutely remarkable debut book by Boston-based performance poet Brian S. Ellis.
By perfectly capturing the emotional and physical landscapes of working class America, Ellis allows the reader's access into the little-discussed and barely understood world of the young and struggling. Whether hilariously boasting of his skills as a grocery store cashier, or dryly counting down the minutes of his graveyard shift at local convenience store, or unflinchingly recalling his experiences living his car, Ellis provides a complex vision of what life is like for him and his friends. Some poems are celebratory, some are grim, but all vibrate with the same beautiful, pure intensity and all have images and lines that will absolutely cut you to the bone. Every single one wakes you up, and makes you see your world with fresh eyes.
I highly recommend this book, and congratulate Write Bloody Publishing on adding another amazing poet for their stellar stable of authors.
Kissing Dead Girls
by Daphne Gottlieb
dark, complex & delicious
Reviewed: May 4, 2009
Daphne Gottlieb made her name in spoken word by writing and performing edgy, non-conventional work. She doesn't shine her poetic flashlight into the dark corners of the human experience, as much as she snaps the flashlight off and sits within the darkness herself until she can communicate the experience honestly.
Her latest book of poetry, "Kissing Dead Girls," would seem, at first glance, a bit gimmicky. After all, for a poet whose work is already highly associated with darker themes and sexuality, writing a book where she has romantic liaisons with deceased historical figures might seem like a no brainer.
But Gottlieb takes what could have been a very easy book for her to write, and instead produces what might be her most challenging and complex collection to date. Her poems about "kissing dead girls" show these historical women as real women, interacting within the Gottlieb as they would a real lover. For instance, in the piece about Marilyn Monroe (my personal favorite), Monroe is shown in such a wonderful, sincere and multi-faceted way: bubbly yet manic, beautiful yet insecure, haunting yet haunted, and even alive yet dead.
The title series is just one themed series which runs through the book, which is so dense with wonderful material, it takes several sittings to reach the end -- and that's a compliment! I have to admit, I was shocked by some of the pieces, both in terms of her chosen subject matter and her raw approach. But doesn't poetry need more moments like that -- wake-up calls to the fact that not everything in poetry should be safe, or presented in such way that makes your feel comfortably distant. Sometimes we need a Gottlieb to shake us up a bit, show us the dark so that we can appreciate the light.
The Endarkenment (Pitt Poetry Series)
by Jeffrey McDaniel
dark, complex, mature
Reviewed: January 14, 2009
I first was introduced to the poetry of Jeffrey McDaniel in the late 1990s and -- like every other poet I knew -- I became an instant fan. He released three books with SF's Manic D Press that showcased his quirk, his bravado and his singularly poetic voice: an instantly recognizable thing which is damn near impossible to duplicate.
In 2008, McDaniel published "The Endarkenment," his first book of poetry on an university press and a departure from the looser, spangled verse of his early collections. This book is grounded, adult even, but without losing the McDaniel's unique poetic qualities.
The poems gleam with equals parts awe and heartbreak. He talks with an earned candor about his childhood, his alcoholic past and the birth of his daughter, bending common words and phrases until they become clean, complex instruments for his vision. The book isn't without its humor -- "Boner Etiquette" being an obvious stand-out -- but it really shines when McDaniel takes a hard look into the darker parts of his life.
Highly recommended for fans of McDaniel who want to see the next part of this amazing poet's evolution.
Take the Mic: The Art of Performance Poetry, Slam, and the Spoken Word
by Marc Kelly Smith
empowering advice from the creator of the Poetry Slam
Reviewed: May 27, 2009
When first experiencing a poetry slam, audience members can be shocked to see how expressive and electric poetry can be. The poets who perform in these high energy poetic competitions not only write fresh and modern verse, but are also committed to bring these poems to life with solid, engaging performances.
Author Marc Kelly Smith created the Poetry Slam in the mid-1980s with the goal of bringing poetry back to the people. In the decades since, Smith has toured extensively -- throughout the U.S.A and around the world -- while still running the famed Chicago Green Mill Poetry Slam and encouraging new voices. Smith has taken all that he's learned about how to be a performance poet, and put it in this book.
With "Take the Mic," Smith engages and challenges the reader through every step of development, from "virgin" to professional. He starts with the basics -- history, community, intent -- and moves on how to tackle writing your first poems, how to properly vocalize your poetry, how to use your body to make your performance effective. Each section is filled with tips, exercises and things to avoid, and each section ends with a "If you remember anything, remember..." side bar which drives home Smith's vision for poetry.
But where most books about performance end, Smith continues -- giving advice on how to handle gigs, how to shape your show, how to get press and how to book a tour. He balances solid tips and common sense advice, provides websites and books for further information, and embues everything with a deep sense of purpose and decency. Smith's belief in the power of poetry, and his passion to make sure every person who wants to be a poet becomes the best poet they can be, is the bedrock on this book.
I highly recommend this book for something wanting to stretch their poetic wings. Even "page poets" looking to up their game will find a lot of helpful advice in here.
Quiver: Poems (VQR Poetry) (The Vqr Poetry Series)
by Susan B. A. Somers-Willett
exploring the wonder of science with a keen poetic eye
Reviewed: February 26, 2009
For some reason, when people think about "science," it tends to evoke a feeling of cold sterility. Visions of fluorescently lit labs, gleaming test tubes and clinical tools set the stage for a series of bloodless scientists, who march around in scrubs or labcoats, swishing, injecting and taking dry notes.
Thankfully, poet Susan B.A. Somers-Willett understands that real science is a lot more complicated -- and beautiful -- than all that.
With her latest book, "Quiver," Somers-Willett explores science's lush landscape, taking apart the world so that we might marvel it with her. She also humanizes a vast array of famous scientists -- including Darwin, Curie and DaVinci -- showing them to be who they truly were: frustrated, conflicted and passionately obsessed.
But more than the wonderful theme holding this collection together, there is Somers-Willett's evocative poetic voice. Describing a DaVinci autopsy, she writes that he "opens the body's proportion, fearful symmetry / glistening in the flat wet lungs like a bird's folded wings" Describing insects caught in amber, she writes: "they cradle things dear / a twig or favorite shell, / swift darling prey; even the acid- /mouthed spider folds his legs like an ancient / card table and clutches his belly for comfort." In other poem, a frog "hears / with his lungs' fleshy tremor / the loose bango string of his own throat."
The poems awaken us to the world around us, but with a twist. These aren't simply nature poems or romantic musings about the stars, they are smart, full verse marveling and exploring in equal turns, as fascinated in the dark matter holding the stars in place as they are in the stars themselves.
POET I'M NOT PALS WITH (YET!)
What Goes On: Selected and New Poems 1995-2009
by Stephen Dunn
an invigorating and illuminating collection
Reviewed: April 21, 2009
Some poets are able to capture an extraordinary moment in their poetry, illuminating for the reader something completely unparalleled, something which makes the reader sit up and go, "Whoa, I wish I could have experienced that."
But other poets are able to see the extraordinary in the ordinary. They are able to reflect on something common (the burial of a family pet, a wife's arrival home, the endless cycle of tabloid news) and show each beautiful angle, each hidden emotion -- both comic and tragic.
Stephen Dunn's "What Goes Around" delves heavily into the latter, allowing the reader to experience ordinary life in new, glittering way. After spending some time with this book, I was left seeing my world with fresh eyes, seeing poetry in everything, as Mr. Dunn seemingly does.
This is a poet working at his full potential: confident but intimidating, cleanly lean but not boringly sparse, experimental but not alienating. It's a wonderful, fulfilling collection for any Dunn fan, and a wonderful introduction to his work for those not already smitten by Dunn and his transcending verse.
Same Life: Poems
by Maureen N. McLane
airy, luminous, charming
Reviewed: May 1, 2009
I have to confess that my favorite type of poetry is narrative poetry, dense on the page and deliciously crammed with images and stories. I like finishing a book of poetry, and feeling like I've gotten to know a new friend -- from the foods they like to eat, to the people they fall in love with, to the music they listen to when they think no one else is around.
So imagine my surprise when "Same Life" by Maureen McLane found its way into my bag and how soon I became captivated by its airy, luminous charm.
With poems that simply float all over on the page, McLane invites the reader not so much into her life as much as into her very thoughts. She travels the landscapes of America, of literature and of love with sly, confident voice. Some of my favorite poems were so short, they felt like the poet was whispering her insights to you in sotto voce, producing perfect clever gems that stuck in my head for days. Other longer form work allowed McLane to share fuller stories, but without giving too much away -- a poetic smoke and mirrors.
Considering my narrative inclinations when it comes to poetry, it should come as no surprise that I finished the book wanting to know more about the author than she was prepared to give in verse, but nonetheless, I truly enjoyed taking a break from my usual poetic fare with this smart, Basho-esque book
Dear Darkness: Poems
by Kevin Young
a rich, clear-eyed celebration of life & family
Reviewed: March 10, 2009
It took me several weeks to build up the confidence to actually buy Kevin Young's "Dear Darkness." After all, the book is currently only available in hardcover and $27 is no small chunk of change to spend on a poetry book (especially in this bum economy).
But after wearing a hole into my copy of "To the Confederate Dead" (the fantastic book Young published previous to "Dear Darkness"), I knew I would have to suck it up and just buy the darn thing. And I can tell you know, that it is absolutely worth it.
Clocking in at nearly 200 pages, "Dear Darkness" is a beautifully hefty book, rich in tone and language. Dealing with the aftermath of his father's death, Young -- an "only son of an only son" -- takes careful pains to illuminate and celebrate everything which fills his life. This means poems about aunties, uncles and cousins, as well as odes to catfish, gumbo and sweet potato pie, alongside poetry riffing on blues songs, childhood bullies and contemporary life in the big city, among numerous other topics.
Young is able to brilliantly write about his past and his present, balancing the amber glow of nostalgia with the sharp angles of reality. His work is not without humor or without pathos, and his voice and approach is almost unrelentingly fresh and honest. Sometimes when I read poems built around a theme (of which there are many in this book), I can tell which poems are the "anchor poems" and which were just thrown into the mix to flesh out the theme. But with Young, each piece dazzles, each pieces adds depth and contrast.
"Dear Darkness" continues Young's stellar tradition of beautiful, earned, solid books of poetry, and I highly recommend this book to anyone itching for an opportunity to see their world with fresh eyes.
For the Confederate Dead
by Kevin Young
haunting and illuminating
Reviewed: February 4, 2009
I have a special fondness for books which give me smart, researched insight into worlds / places / experiences with which I'm only slightly familiar. I also have a special fondness for writers who are willing to open themselves up, let the reader see behind the curtain a little bit.
With "For the Confederate Dead," poet Kevin Young satisfies both these needs, and then some.
Young's work is steeped in research and succeeds in giving voices to previously the unheard / under-heard stories of black America before, during and after the Civil War. The poems he has constructed are limber and muscular, fresh. They don't position these stories in the context of a heavy, velveted history, but rather allows them to exist seemingly in the present -- giving the reader the freedom to imagine what it was like to be there, to be that person, without feeling like they need a degree in history to get it right.
Throughout the book, Young also weaves the stories of his own life -- including a beautiful, celebratory poem about the passing of Chicago's great poet Gwendolyn Brooks (this poem starts the book) and a series of poems following Young as he comes to grips with the death of a close friend (these poems close the book).
Young is an extremely gifted poet, who is nonetheless still exploring this world and his talent. I highly recommend this book, and look forward to future books.
Don’t Leave Hungry: Fifty Years of Southern Poetry Review
by James Smith
A Celebration of Fifty Years of Poetry
Reviewed: May 14, 2009
It boggles my mind that a poetry journal could even last fifty years, let alone last fifty years and still remain relevant and muscular, able to celebrate poetic voices old and new.
The Southern Poetry Review has earned this beautiful book, which showcases a wide scope of voices. As the Southern Poetry Review published a variety of poets, there is a variety of tones, styles and subjects matters. Sometimes this works well, but other times I wished there was a little more cohesiveness.
The book was organized in chronological order -- which makes utter sense, of course! -- but sometimes I wished it was organized by theme, allowing new and old poems on similar themes to compliment each other, and allowing the anthology to showcase those thematic "through lines" which make a poem "Southern Poetry Review"-worthy, not matter in which decade it was written.
Still, it is the Southern Poetry Review deserves a ton of praise for its amazing work in the service of poetry, and this thick collection is filled with some wonderful verse!
The United States of Poetry (DVD)
the best poetry tv series yet made
Reviewed: February 24, 2009
If the only televised poetry programming you have seen has been from HBO ("Russell Simmon's Presents Def Poetry") or MTV ("Spoken Word Unplugged"), then I highly recommend the PBS series "The United States of Poetry," a fantastic series celebrating American verse which was utterly ahead of its time.
"The United States of Poetry" not only emancipates poetry from the page but frees it from the traditional performance stage. Instead taking the traditional tack of filming poets doing their thing live behind a mike, visionary director Mark Pellington provides depth and contrast with creative visuals and real & poetic landscapes, allowing each poet's work to really shine. It is wonderful to see and hear work by some of America's best known poets, including Allen Ginsburg, Rita Dove, Leonard Cohen, Derek Walcott, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Sandra Cisneros and Bob Holman, among many many others.
Organized by theme ("A Day in the Life," "Love and Sex," etc...), the series shows a compelling and diverse vision of American poetry. Even better, the poets are introduced only with their name and the poem's title -- no biography, titles or prizes spotlighted. Slam poets and Cowboy poets are introduced the same as Pulitzer Prize winners and U.S. poet laureates! It has a wonderfully empowering effect, allowing you to value each piece based on whether or not it resonates with you as opposed to the pedigree of its writer.
Even though it is over a decade old, I still return to this series again ang again. I am so thrilled that it is finally on DVD as my poor worn-out VHS was on its last legs. I hope the new format will inspire more people to check out this wonderful & inspiring series!
GRAPHIC NOVELS
Funny Misshapen Body: A Memoir
by Jeffrey Brown
a fascinating, non-linear look into how an artist develops
Reviewed: April 21, 2009
I've been a sucker for Jeffrey Brown since my partner gave me copies of his books, "Clumsy" and "Unlikely," which were autobiographical collections of comic strips recording two lusty, doomed relationships. I immediately became smitten with the intimacy and honesty Brown showed, and have been following him ever since.
With "Funny Misshapen Body," Brown focuses his attention on yet another love of his love: art. Like his previous books, Brown embraces the D.I.Y./zine aesthetic, with line drawings that are disarmingly simplistic and storylines that seem (at first) randomly chosen. But the more the reader invests into the book, the more we see how seemingly random events -- positive attention, leveling criticism, books handled to Brown at the right moment -- all lead Brown to the path he is on right now.
What I liked most about this book are not the triumphs, but the stumbles. We see Brown experiment and flouder, drinking and smoking his way through his education, embracing and abandoning projects. Brown shows every awkward inch of his uneven journey, and even a bit of regret about some of his other passions (painting, poetry, etc...) which fell to the wayside when his vision of doing his own comics became clearer.
Like James Kochalka's "Cute Manifesto," Brown's "Funny Misshapen Body" is a fascinating look into the creative mind of an comics artist, alive and working today. Not to mention, it's another solid addition to any Jeffrey Brown collection.
Snakepit 2008
by Ben Snakepit
Ben Snakepit Grows Up
Reviewed: May 14, 2009
I'm a sucker for autobiography -- whether it comes in the form of traditional memoir, poetry collection, or graphic novel. Hence I was thrilled to have stumbled upon the latest book from Austin comic-diarist, Ben Snakepit, titled, "Snakepit 2008," which -- as you could likely guess -- reproduces his entire autobiographical strip for the year 2008.
I last caught up with Ben Snakepit in his collection, "Life in the Jugular Vein," which showcased three years of strips up to the end of 2006. I must have missed a lot in the "Snakepit 2007," as this collection showcases Ben with a steady girlfriend, a steady job, steady living arrangements, and even a happily vetted-and-groomed dog. Quite the difference from "Jugular Vein" Ben, which saw him couch-surfing and touring throughout the world and trying his hardest to find love & career satisfaction between drinking binges, raging fights and hospital-worthy spider bites.
That being said, you have to hand it to Ben for keeping up the strip even as his life transitions from one of complete chaos to one that is substantially more settled -- i.e., "Snakepit 2008" features Ben opening up his first bank account in several decades as well as budgeting for a new truck and its repairs.
If you are looking for an introduction to the work of Ben Snakepit or are looking for a graphic diary of the wilder side of Austin, I strongly suggest check out his earlier books. This one is fairly tame, and even a tad dry / boring (something that even Ben acknowledges -- defending himself by saying that he isn't going to do crazy stuff just to make his comic diary more interesting, because that was "never the point" of doing the strip).
That being said, this current collection has definitely made in interested in future Snakepit comics, if not just to see if this maturation process continues / sticks, or if he falls back into old ways -- either way, sign me up for the ride.