Suits For the Swarm

by Matt Gano, Lana Hechtman Ayers (Editor)

“Matt Gano, whose swagger and soul and verbal dexterity have knocked out spoken-word audiences for years, brings his staggering inventiveness to the page—where he also, and absolutely, belongs. Here are irresistible scenes out of the sagebrush and empty lots of a charmed and timeless boyhood; love from all sides—wild-horse young, and 94 years old; and the brilliant, unexpected, new, ‘with … lemon-meringue peaks/ and eating-contest complexion.’ These are beautifully-crafted poems, alive with startling transitions, humor, and the wisdom that lets ‘the rhythm in the ride be what I write.’ And they’re pure pleasure.” ~ Kathleen Flenniken, Washington State Poet Laureate, author of Plume and Famous

74 pages, Paperback

First published March 25, 2013

Reviews

[Eli Hastings · Rating 5 out of 5]

Matt Gano is everything that's not integrated but he pulls it off: rural and urban, sensitive and hard, romantic and cynical, tender and masculine, the consummate people's poet and yet ready to give the academy their run. Gano's background as a wildly successful slam poet comes through in the insistent dialectic and humanity of this astounding book of poetry that reads almost like a short stories, sung in voices as disparate as his rich experience. An experience that his poetic gaze interprets without pretension and with a double shot of compassion and passion. Get it. Read it with coffee or wine, a.m. or p.m.

[Tricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I met Matt Gano at Write Doe Bay, May 2015 and his creative mind works in a way that is something to be witnessed. To watch him recite poetry is nothing short of mad genius, deep soul, raw heart. His workshop got me to think and use my brain in a way I normally don't when I write. I got excited about something called a litany. This book inspires me and is one I'll pull off the shelf and read when I need a shot of adrenaline.