A Rabbit in Search of a Rolex and other Hyperboles, Mysteries, Parables and Fantasias

by Regie Cabico

Regie Cabico’s first full-length poetry collection includes more than four dozen new poems that reflect on the poet’s life. Inspired by Frank O’Hara and Gertrude Stein, A Rabbit in Search of a Rolex is a multiverse of surreal and witty meditations, a tarot of micro-poetic divinations.

“This is poetry of light and hope.” —Grace Cavalieri, Maryland Poet Laureate

“A must read for anyone seeking to experience poetry that pushes the literary boundaries of our creative imaginations.” —Karen Jaime, author of The Queer Nuyorican

“Regie Cabico — queer brown wood nymph crown prince of the underworld of Asian American arts and desire. A Rabbit in Search of a Rolex is your welcome pass to that underworld. It's a one-way ticket.” —Lawrence-Minh Bùi Davis, Curator at the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center

Regie Cabico is a Filipino American poet and spoken word artist. He won top prizes in three National Poetry Slams and his poetry appears in over 30 anthologies including Aloud: Voices from the Nuyorican Poets Café, Spoken Word Revolution and Slam. Cabico is the recipient of three New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowships and was artist-in-residence at New York University, and De Anza College.

Genres: Poetry

Paperback

Published November 15, 2023

Reviews

[Drew · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been a fervid fan of the extraordinary Regie Cabico for decades now and that enthusiasm is only growing with the release of his first collection "A Rabbit in Search of a Rolex..." [Full disclosure: I wrote the afterword.] In the past, I'd witnessed Cabico's mastery of long-form spoken-word, movie-themed haiku, and Shakespearean sonnet. But he takes his poetry to a whole other level here with a refreshingly playful form he's invented himself. The structure employs five sentences to riff on a person, place or thing -- say, Tina Turner, the woods, or a croissant. The resultant pieces are surreal snapshots possessing unexpectedly impactful final reveals. Endings are always a tricky matter when writing and Cabico's gift at landing the punchline, the denouement, the closing snap means you finish each entry in a heightened state. Page-turning poetry? Yes, that exactly. And since these particular poems are short, you'll likely be reading the entire collection in a single sitting. What's more, you'll probably be reading it again the next day. And the next week. And the month after that, too. Why deny yourself the pleasure?

[Madigan]

absurd in the greatest sense of the word

[Naomi Ayala · Rating 5 out of 5]

Edgy, fun, and unpredictable. A great read.