Poetry > Giveaways

[close] This book of poetry was published by the New Poets Series in 1990 Papyrus: An Eloquent Ode to Life's Many Gritty Moments by Amy L. Wilson Arkansas Gazette Little Rock, Arkansas April 1990 (note: concerning the print edition by the New Poets Series printed in 1990) An American Papyrus Steven Sills The Chestnut Hills Press Poetry Series 63 pages; $6.95 paperback Twenty-six poems make up this first published book by Steven Sills, 26, of Fayetteville. Sills' vision is often a dark one. He writes of the homeless, the abused, the forgotten people. He is also intrigued with the mystical, the sensual, loss--as in losing those whom we hold dear, such as a spouse or lover--as well as the lost, such as someone who is autistic, who seems unreachable. Sills' skillful use of the language to impart the telling moments of a life is his strength. He chooses his words carefully, employing a well-developed vocabulary. He is thoughtful about punctuation, where to break lines and when to make a new stanza. He's obviously well versed in "great" literature. Sills' command of language helps to soften the blows of some of the seemier passages found in his poems. Seamy may not be the best word to use. Perhaps gritty is a better word or just plain matter-of-fact and to the point, as in this descriptive passage from "Oracion A Traves De Gass," about the hopeless feelings of a respiratory therapy worker: "With the last of the air drawing in/ Begins to fold its walls; and he could imagine it/ Like he could imagine from unexact memories/ The woman last night at the hospital, whom he began to like---/ Her body pulling cell by cell/ Apart before he had a chance to finish the rescue with the hose." The book begins with "Post-Annulment2" a poem with a poignant description of society's displaced--"As the sun blazes upon the terminal's/ Scraped concrete/The shelved rows of the poor men"--and continues by describing a city scene through the eyes of a maintenence worker at the Hilton Hotel. The protagonist's wife has left him and he is taking the bus to work that morning, his mind wandering as he looks for the key to why she is gone. "He rings the bell. / The idea of her not home and legally annuled/ From his life--her small crotch not tightened to his desperate thrusts/ Makes him feel sick. He gets down from the bus./ He goes to work. He suddenly knows that he is not in love." As many poets will do, Sills could not leave this work alone. So a hybrid of this poem, "Post-Annulment" ends the book. In it, he has kept many of the original lines and added parenthetical remarks to expand on his ideas. It is in this context he allows himself to comment on religion: "Religion is a lie! Everything is a lie!" and on marriage: "Marriage, that santified legal rape, fosters the child-man to be a destined societal function as he grows up in the family unit." Not all of the poems are so bleak and cynical in every passage, however, as is apparent in "The San Franciscan's Night Meditations": "The night is full of impulses to live and run and seep heavily into its dark robes of silence and morbid rightness." People who do not feel comfortable examining in detail the darker side of life--the the details that the average person overlooks because it just hurts or feels to strange to look--will not enjoy this book. Serious writers of free verse, contemporary poetry and/or those who study it will not be disappointed. Sills, a native of Missouri, is a recent graduate of Southwest Missouri State University in Springfield. He currently is working in Fayetteville. Sills dedicated his book to Mike Burns, a poet and teacher at SMSU who helped him edit his work.
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[close] HER HOUSE is a culmination of fine observation. Donna Marie Merritt reflects on those details that so often pass by undetected, yet play an enormous part in our lives. Along the way we examine our fragile bargain with nature—and how close we are to chaos when nature reminds us just who is in charge. Long countryside walks, a good glass of wine, family and friends, growing older… all these Merritt celebrates with gratitude, prompting us to truly see what surrounds us, reminding us that memory is precious and sweet.

“Here we have an eye open to the world, that poem by poem brings that world into view for all to see, and to be nurtured by.” -David Kherdian: Poet, Novelist, Memoirist

“Merritt’s new collection begs to be read aloud—these poems are not just treats for the mind and heart, but for the tongue as well. There is an energetic tumbling of rhythm and rhyme, playful observations of nature, moments of deep comfort and passion, and the ongoing loving struggle of capturing feelings with words. HER HOUSE is filled with delicious morsels for the poetic palate.”
-Dave Morrison: Poet
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[close] 35 inspirational (and sometimes funny!) poems all printed on glorious pictures. Yes, about competitions, but also about courage, determination and achievement. About the will to succeed. Let the words inspire you to reach for your dreams.

These poems were inspired by the athletes who train for so long to achieve their dreams, and I hope that they have captured some of the sense of excitement of both summer and winter events.

Phoenix.

They shamed you
Took away your medal
And your pride
They said you’d cheated!
They were wrong!
Out of the ashes of your career
You fought back
Cleared your name
Retained your integrity
And that, for you,
And we who believed in you
All along,
Was as good as a medal
So now you are back
Cleared and strong
To prove yourself
​
Rising in triumph
Just like the phoenix.

All Done

The flame is extinguished
The stadium clears
All medals won
For another four years
Hoarse from our cheering
We make our way home
Leaving with friends,
Or just walking alone
Subdued and exhausted
But warmed by the glow
Of nations uniting
For this world-wide show.

Spectators

Sun, bright in our eyes
Wind chill at minus something
Undeterred
We gather cheerfully
In a motley collection
Of headwear
And ski gear
Frosty breath
Clamour of cowbells
Rosy cheeks and pink noses

​Laughter
And hot coffee
Excitement in the air
Rising
For this is the start
Of
The Winter Sports Season


It would be helpful if the winner would just let me know when the book arrives, so that I know they have received it safely. I will not contact the winner apart from sending the book but I would like to be sure it has been received ok. [close]

[close] Filled with impassioned logic and musicality, John Sibley Williams’ debut collection strives to control the uncontrollable by redefining the method of approach. In these compact poems, so edged in dark corners and the strenuous songs of beauty and identity, Williams establishes a unique world of contradictions and connections that bridge the foreign and the familiar. Moving through art and history, through apocalyptic visions and family, into and back out of the paradox of using language to express languagelessness, Controlled Hallucinations weaves universal themes and images with the basic human reality of touch, word, and what is lost in their translation.

ADVANCED PRAISE

John Sibley Williams pares down and removes the extraneous to expose what is absolutely needed: the possibilities. He bravely turns language over on its side and we are left with how things could fit back together in unexpected and elegant turns. The poems in this book repeatedly draw you to a stop with stunning insights, which will hold you long after you have put it down.

--Bonnie Nish, Executive Director Pandora's Collective Outreach Society

In a universe written in the forms of questions, John Sibley Williams strums his fingers along finely tuned blends of thoughts and images. Enter the intimate conversations of these poems, but do not expect easy ways out. Watch out for the openings that will land you on the map of your own astonishment.

--Daniela Elza, author of milk tooth bane bone and the weight of dew

John Sibley Williams' poems are open-ended equations without solvable components. Bleeding, blindness, the absorption of self into the world, problems of identity and continuity, the incongruity of memory and anticipation create "controlled hallucinations" that probe our existence by suspending the coordinates normally associated with the articulation of one's reality. There is a great deal for the heart in these poems. These are skillfully composed black and white photographs, painstakingly hand-tinted.

--Andrea Moorhead, editor of Osiris

Using bones, Williams frames a place for mirrored windows and unobstructed doorways where love can come and go as it pleases. The rooms are floor-less, so photographs, clocks, bedroom walls and the staircase defy gravity. This collection has a haunting quality which makes you want to walk back into the room that you just left and search for what it is you may have missed.

--Rebecca Schumejda, author of Cadillac Men [close]

[close] Kimberly Beyer-Nelson, who holds a master's degree in comparative religion, is a nationally published poet and author. She takes the reader on a very different kind of Biblical journey, one based in the language of poetry, intuition and unity. Pulling from Sufi, Sikh, Buddhist and Vedantic philosophy, her poetry illuminates the universal and human elements that makes all great scripture timeless. [close]

[close] Winner of the 2009 FutureCycle Poetry Book Prize, No Loneliness is a collection of lyrics and narrative poems written about the confusions and attempts at order in the poet's life. It is a book about work and sweat, the lasting effects of physical violence, the spiritual grace that comes from nature, the strange communion of love, and the many heartbreaking ways the world we live in tries to redeem us. [close]

[close] The Chronicles of the Pharaoh's Daughter presents a passionate, ironic, and symbolic collection of poems that blends antiquity, history, memory, reincarnation, wealth, poverty, sex, love, life, birth, and afterlife. Poet Davina Rhine shares a tormented adventure lamenting the loss of her idealized father and recalling the grudging acceptance of a woman's experience in domesticity, mundane work, and child-rearing. This confessional poet, torn by grief, erotica, responsibility, mature love, and dreams, goes from sinner to forgiver in the course of the collection. Unlike other confessionals, her journey in dreams and everyday life does not end in misery, but in rapture both strong and defiant as she is resurrected. The clashing metaphors of the past and present take us all over the ancient world and into the heart of modern love; the journey begins with an act of vengeance for the women raped at the birth of Rome. Rhine explores the sacred, the vulgar, and the human experience as her poems explode into sharp, dizzying shards of emotion and drama. The Chronicles of the Pharaoh's Daughter is a collection that exhales classical archaeology while reinventing the past with the vigor and vision of a strong, defiant activist and writer. [close]

[close] Discover new literary voices from the Midwest!

Featuring fiction from John Biggs, William Blomstedt, Ken Brosky, Jennifer M. Colatosti, Matthew Fogarty, Hazel Foster, Matthew Guerruckey, Jason Marc Harris, Brandon Hobson, Joe Kapitan, Molly Laich, Justin Machnik, Angela Palm, John Scaggs, Sarah Elizabeth Schantz, Sacha Siskonen, Carol Smallwood, Richard Thomas, and Matt Young. Poetry from Thomas Cannon, Chris Crabtree, Jim Davis, Sadie Ducet, David Greenspan, Nathaniel Lee Hansen, Ryan Havely, Dale Patterson, Isaac Miller, Richard Newman, Lindy Obach, Andrew Ruzkowski, Kate E. Schultz, Sarah Snook, Helen Spica, Marydale Stewart, Taylor Supplee, Kerry Trautman, David Vodolazkiy, and Courtney Huse Wica.

Midwestern Gothic (ISSN 2159-8827) is a quarterly print literary journal out of Ann Arbor, Michigan, dedicated to featuring work about or inspired by the Midwest, by writers who live or have lived here. Midwestern Gothic aims to collect the very best in Midwestern fiction writing in a way that has never been done before, cataloging the oeuvre of an often-overlooked region of the United States ripe with its own mythologies and tall tales. [close]

[close] Giving away autographed 10 pre-publication hard cover copies of a gorgeous full color book for lovers. It is a lush page turner of a different kind. May turn into hugs and kisses from the love of your life.

Tell your sweetheart you are completely and madly in love, just like Kit and Kitty. They are never too busy or proud to express that they are head over tails in love with each other. Vividly imagined and hand painted by W.C. Fielstra, Kit and Kitty in Love is an ode to love, to fill any romantic occasion with passion.

Visit my author page to sample the visual excerpt. I am eager to meet fans of anthropomorphic characters who are unafraid to give genuine reviews. Do stop by and become a friend at http://www.goodreads.com/wcfielstra [close]

[close] Political and Social satire using fairytales as a vehicle.

Michelle Hartman’s recent collection of poetry, Disenchanted and Disgruntled, rings clear as a tuning fork with her strong and singular voice. Woven throughout we hear the sweet viciousness of truth masked as humor, the exposed underbelly of the fairytale, stories the Brothers Grimm would write today before going PG for a bigger crowd. Here we have Snow White’s most annoying dwarf and a princess with her own bank account, before Hartman moves on to other dark places where she dabs “beef blood/on wrists and knees,” before hearing “twigs snap from his weight,” places off the path where “we are nothing when wrapped/neatly in butcher paper.”

Hartman reminds the reader of Sylvia Plath, had Dorothy Parker been her mother, reminding us that the difference between “love and hate is backswing,” always written in that wonderful particularity that Pound called “no ideas but in things.” Read this, and look in the mirror.

Jeffrey DeLotto, PhD English – Texas Wesleyan University and author of Days of a Chameleon and Writ in Sand
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[close] Nazifa Islam’s debut poetry collection tells the story of Rosemary who wants to love and to be loved but finds it tragically impossible. “She married a man with one glass eye/and divorced him the next day but he/still got his green card. She weeps now/while sitting in front of her television/watching Wheel of Fortune every night./You haven’t met her yet, but her name is Rosemary.”

Winners will receive bound galleys. [close]

[close] *Autographed Copy*

This collection of poems and tales, spanning eight years of publication in Pagan and speculative fiction magazines and journals, includes award-nominated poetry and fiction that illuminates Pagan life and relationships with the sacred.

"C. S. MacCath is simply one of the finest Pagan fiction writers working today. Her stories express the complexity, beauty, and chaos of contemporary life with both precision and passion -- a rare combination, indeed. "The Ruin of Beltany Ring" is but one of the enthralling tales to appear in this wonderful collection, but it is my favorite of the set; to tell more would be unfair to the reader, so I will simply urge you to set aside whatever you are doing right now and dip into this collection at once." - Anne Newkirk Niven: Editor, Witches & Pagans Magazine [close]

[close] Este libro es una recopilación de mensajes de texto que Septiembre y yo nos enviamos con apasionada urgencia y anticipación en nuestra búsqueda hacia Ítaca.

Necesitábamos reconocernos en lo que nos dijimos, y durante el tiempo I've loved you so long se ha ido reescribiendo solo. Su publicación es el proceso orgánico que lo ha reconstruido.

El libro se ha dejado llevar por el hilo del texto, como Ariadna, y por eso al interpretarse y renovarse se ha acercado más a lo que quisimos contarnos.

Lo hemos sido y lo hemos soñado for so long.

Y ahora los alisios de nuevo ... [close]

[close] Spotted Overcoat introduces you to marathon dancers, a high life flapper in a stolen car, sailors on shore leave, criminals and underdogs who are everyday folks trying to work out their lives.

Even though the author divides the poetry book into timelines of Then, Now and Out There, the dilemmas of humanity transcend generations.

Spotted Overcoat is filled with social commentary that is cryptic, at times interjected with subtle humor and jazz age slang, and other times surprisingly candid.

Throughout it all, this poetry is not always what it seems to be. [close]

[close] When poetry meets theatre in the mind of Jason Christie, a smashing performance results! Then as the curtains close, Christie sneaks off the stage, through the scenery, and out into the wilds of the Internet — and straight into the footlights and teleprompters of human experience. Like a method actor in character long after the credits have rolled, off set, off his rocker, Christie runs wild from Goethe’s Faust to Burton’s, through 1984 and B movies from the ’80s and back again. Beneath his offerings to the actor — questionable acting lessons, dubious plot treatments — lurks a deep unease at our accepted practices of looking at each other, kid. Get out the popcorn and turn on your mobile device. This is going to get dramatic. [close]

[close] Journey through the Magical and Enchanting world of "Dreams of Love."

With her first publication, Carla Golian masterfully crafts a book of 19 poems, weaving them through 13 short stories to tell the tale of a Grand Love.

Melodic and mystical, these tales of passion and romance will fascinate us and show us the ecstasies and agonies of Love, and the courage and risk required to follow our Dreams.

Brave and Honest, Provocative and Bold, perhaps even shocking! There is no plea here, She makes no excuses for her words. In the few erotic scenes, we see that Love, truly Is the essence of our existence. The essence of life. This is a book of hope.

Dreams of Love will pierce through to stir up deep rooted emotions and will leave us wondering and reflecting long after we close the book.


"Lord, your writing is hot! [...] Carla, this is sex as it is supposed to be... free and uninhibited, yet with language appropriate for a lover, worshipful in its appreciation of this precious act. [...] I think I would never tire of your writing." ~ a Reader [close]

[close] The Blue Hour Anthology is 155 pages of poetry, prose, photographs, painting, and sculpture. It features a vast array of styles and subjects, perspectives and life experiences.

It boasts some of our favorite and highest quality pieces that were published in our online magazine, thebluehourmagazine.com, between November 2012 and March 2013.

This book was professionally printed with a perfect binding. It is printed in full color, on high quality paper, measures 5x7 inches and has a soft cover featuring two original photographs.

Contributor list:
Aaron Poller, Adrian Theze, Afzal Moolla, Allie Marini Batts, Ambarin Afsar, Anne Bradshaw, Anne Britting Olsen, Annmarie Lockhart, Anthony Ward, Art Heifetz, Bruce Ruston, BZ Niditch, Calla Devlin, Carol Ellis, Carolyn Martin, Cher Bibler, Christy O Donnell, Constantine Mountrakis, Corey Mesler, David Schmidt, Donal Mahoney, Ed O'Dwyer, Elisha Stam, Elizabeth Cook, Elizabeth Derkson, Gale Acuff, Gerry Fabian, Gunta Norman, Heather Minettte, Ivan Jenson, James Babbs, Jason O'Rourke, Jay Coral, Jay Levon, Jeremy Nathan Marks, Jessica Miller, Jilliam Lukiwski, Joanna Lee, John Lee Clark, John W. Sexton, Joseph Briggs, Kerry Hormann, Liza Paizis, Lorraine Caputo, Mark Jackley, Martin Willitts, Meredith Szturm, Michele Seminara, Miguel Jacq, Mitchell Grabois, Moriah LaChapell, Nathaniel S. Rounds, Nirvair Singh Rai, Pamela Arlov, Paul Hostovsky, Philip Vermaas, Rafael Ayala Paez, Ray Sharp, Rebecca Gaffron, Russell Streur, Scott Clendaniel, Susan Hughes, Susan Sweetland Garay, William Doreski

ISBN-10: 0989013707
ISBN-13: 978-0-9890137-0-3

Sample poems::

Fear (noun, verb)

Today, in my
personal thesaurus,
there were 33
synonyms for fear.
Yesterday, there
were only 32.

by Corey Mesler


Skydive

I will never ask you to step out of the sliding door of an airplane,
to free-fall through the clouds
with only an altimeter and your faith in the parachute’s packing
to guide you back down to earth,
for you to tumble the miles of ozone and sky
as proof that you are brave enough to love me as much as you love
the solidity of the dirt beneath your boots.
I will only ask that you are brave enough to jump

by Allie Marini Batts

The Blue Hour is an art and literary magazine run by two women living in the Pacific Northwest. Please check out thebluehourmagazine.com for more of our publications as well as information about us and what we do. [close]

[close] A look at the realities of the world through verse. Poverty and parenting are touched without flinching.

[close] An intricate look at daily life and world events through verse.

[close] Casey's third collection of poetry, exploring different types of relationships with subtle dark humor.

[close] My purpose is to pay tribute to those heroic individuals who have contributed to the world. I hope to honor them as a testimonial of their contribution. Through creative means, I find them in my heart and hope others may do the same. We must all contribute, either as artist, or observer by: experiencing their souls through understanding their purpose, expanding our knowledge of their gifts, and by being aware of the historical stepping-stones of humanity throughout the ages. Without these contributions, which we must continually remind ourselves of, the past, present, and future would be lost in the thoughts of the here and now. [close]

[close] Please add both books to your TO READ shelf! :) Four winners! Each will win a SIGNED copy of the 2013 poetry, prose & photography book THREE SPACES and INCLUDED with those copies, each winner will receive a signed copy of 2012's CARRY ON DANCING! (If you don't win ---the ebook version of both books are available where all good ebooks are sold! ) ;) Thanks so very much for reading. [close]

[close] This is an ARC!

Excerpt: "I imagine a place where girls are made. Some roll off the assembly line shiny and wet, wheat colored hair sewn into their beautiful heads like dolls. Other girls are assembled from spare parts, pieces the shiny girls refuse—a leg here, an elbow there—our maker scavenging for anything to use. Building girls like me is lonely work, no reward for the journeyman, no bright fame. Inside the girl factory, it is dark as midnight, the workers toiling away, unable to see their hands. There are so many mistakes to be made, which is why I know there must be girls like me out there somewhere. I’m the glass thrown onto the cullet belt with a smash. I break into a hundred sharp pieces. The belt leads underground, where girls like me are melted, poured into molds so the maker can try again, try to get it right this time. But I keep coming out flawed—cold crizz, chip finish, bird swing. I look whole, yet crumble with a touch. I’m thrown back to the cullet, back to the melting pot, where I keep trying to come out right."

It’s 1985 in a small factory town near Pittsburgh. Eight-year-old Karen’s parents are lifelong workers at the Anchor Glass plant, where one Saturday, an employee goes on a shooting spree, killing four supervisors, then himself. This event splits the young girl’s life open, and like her mother, she begins to seek comfort in obsessive rituals and superstitions.
This beautifully evocative memoir chronicles the next fourteen years, as Karen moves through girlhood, adolescence, and young adulthood. It illuminates small-town factory life; explores a complicated mother-daughter bond; thoughtfully unfolds a smart, but insecure girl’s coming of age; achingly recounts her attempts to use sex to fit in; and ultimately uncovers the buried secret from her childhood—a medical file with an unbearable report.
The Girl Factory deftly travels the intersections of memory and origin. Karen’s body remembers details her mind has tried to control. As the young woman mines her interior landscape for answers, certain questions persist. Where does memory live—in the body or the mind? And can you rewrite the story of your past?


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[close] Enter to win a signed paperback copy of Bless the Bitter Night: Poems about Failed Love in the Modern World.

Courtship is dead and love isn't sweet. Instead, it tangles us and tears at us until we breakdown and bless the bitter nights when love was true.

BLESS THE BITTER NIGHT is a collection of eighteen poems about failed love in the modern world.

Page count: 26 [close]

[close] "From the Heart: prose and poetry from the depths of life" is a book of prose and poetry gathered from the author's 35 years of viewing the events and people passing through his life. Noting the world through the eyes of a small town boy who embarks on a journey beyond his own "comfort zone" into the wonder of firefly filled nights, awe inspiring forests, and emotion stricken reality, James' writing is able to transport the reader to the time and place each selection conjures. [close]

[close] Win a Signed Copy!!!!!

This is a book of poetry that will truly touch your soul. Indulge in the words of a lonely lunatic full of laughter, love, lust, Lucifer, and the Lord. Escape into a world of profound, seductive words that will melt your soul like butter. Escape into an insane mind and learn the trials of a battered soul. Fall into the trap of this astonishing book that will pull at the strings of your heart. Immerse yourself in the pure pleasure of this dazzling work of art. Open up the Slopjar. [close]

[close] One winter's day my dad and I
Went down to see the carousel.
We stood and watched as round and round
The little horses rose and fell.

So begins the magical journey of a small girl and a wooden horse.

A journey of music and mirrors, of green hills and sunlit skies, of wishes and freedom.

From this much-loved author and brilliant new illustrator comes a glowing, timeless picture book that celebrates the enduring wonder of the carousel. [close]

[close] From Kattywompus Press:

Just when you think you've got your bearings, Kelly Fordon's poems tilt the floor.

Across the street, a woman/ sits on the patio with her back/ to the sun. All you can see is the/ round white globe of her skull./ She is having some trouble with/ her insides. If you could speak/ you would ask her about the/ people she swallowed. -- excerpt, "The Great Divide"

In Fordon's world there is no black and white, only shades of gray across the emotional and moral landscape, as in the prose poem where she addresses "The Monster in the Mirror:"

Well, you are a very small monster. I have to give you that. It's a big world and I wish I had a little rhinestone suitcase. Then I could carry you around like a miniature poodle. --excerpt, "The Monster in the Mirror"



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[close] *Semi-finalist in the Goodreads Choice Awards 2012: Best Poetry.

BONUS! Copy of other poetry collection, Twisted Velvet Chains, included.

Review of FABRIC from author Leigh Talbert Moore:

Fabric reads like a series of snapshots of important scenes from different lives. Sometimes they're right when the thing happens, other times they're reflections. And then some are little stories told from a glance, like side-view images.

It's extremely accessible, so don't think, "Oh. Poetry." (Trust me on this.)

My favorites are the ones that look back on a situation the speaker misunderstood, like in the poem "Mustard," where the speaker's nemesis is not what she seems. POWERFUL.

I tend to miss critical moments when they happen, and upon reflection, I realize how I really felt about them. Bell captures that beautifully in 500 words or less.

FAVORITE LINES:

"I hope prison treats you better than I did."

"The gravel shines like clusters of black diamonds. It was summer. I wasn't afraid."

"You hold my hand as if holding heartache--careful."

Uhh! See what I'm saying?

In one, Bell uses a butter knife to trace a path, and in another she writes the same lines in and out--like the reflection on a lake ("Once"). And I just adored every word of "Spandex," and ... OK, this was supposed to be a short review.

Seriously, if you only have ONE collection of poetry, this should be it. It's like a tray of the best chocolate in the world sitting on your counter and any random moment, you can pick it up and read a poem and have this amazing experience. [close]

[close] A debut collection that welcomes a new modernist aesthetic for the twenty-first century.

Aswirl with waking dreams and phantom memories, The Late Parade is a triumph of poetic imagination. To write about one thing, you must first write about another. In Adam Fitzgerald's debut collection, readers discover forty-eight poems that yoke together tones playful and elegiac, nostalgic and absurd. Fitzgerald's shape-shifting inspirations "beckon us to join an urban promenade" (McLane) with a multiplicity of chimerical stops: from the unreal cities of Dubai to the former Soviet Union, from Nigerian spammers and the Virgin Mary to Dr. Johnson and Cat Power.

"The glory of this volume is the long title poem, which carries the primal vision of Hart Crane into a future that does not surrender the young poet’s love of the real," writes Harold Bloom. Mash-ups of litanies, monologues and odes, these poems spring from a modernist landscape filled with madcap slips of tongue, innuendo, archaisms and everyday slang. Though Fitzgerald's lines often hallucinate meanings that feel open-ended, they never ignore the traditional pleasures of poetic craft and memory, their music an ambient drone—part Technicolor, part nitrous oxide.

Even so, what glues these fantasies together is more than the charm of the maddeningly chameleon rhetoric. Fitzgerald's sonorous voice is unabashedly that of a love poet's: melancholic, baroque and visionary. The Late Parade is a testament to the powers of confusion, which may disguise our sense of loss but offer in return that eloquent tonic known as poetry. As Richard Howard writes, "When the new poet turns up the heat, he gives us just the necessary outrages which make us understand what we never knew we could say."

###

“In The Late Parade, Adam Fitzgerald is a master of defeating expectations so as to fulfill them farther along. One has the feeling of climbing higher along a path that is giving way under one’s feet, in pursuit always of ‘a waltz on our breath.’ Yet the rhythmic and consonant commotion of these poems ends in joy. This is a dazzling debut.” John Ashbery

“Adam Fitzgerald joins an estimable line—a parade?—from Crane to Ashbery to Donnelly. Fitzgerald is truly 'a noble rider' of 'the sound of words,' to invoke Stevens. We confront here a surging ocean of sound and language, but also a sharp mind, ascetic, even astringent.” Maureen McLane

“Adam Fitzgerald’s The Late Parade is wildly alive with the grit and glue of broken objects and the noise of lost things. You can count on the immense care he takes in putting music back into the world. You can count on the fact this is a book we will read for years to come.” Dorothea Lasky

“Released from the plod of workaday logics and handed over to the flow of their own becoming, the poems in The Late Parade shudder with exhilarating assurance and nonstop invention, never fully breaking it off with the familiar, but incapable of leaving it untransformed. We’ve been waiting too long for a book like this to arrive. Wake up—it’s finally here.” Timothy Donnelly

“The Late Parade by Adam Fitzgerald may be the beginning of a great career.” Harold Bloom [close]