The Dumbbell Nebula

California Poetry Series #3

by Steve Kowit

Poetry. Whether describing the Devil reciting poetry in Hell, the faith of uprooted mice, or a last encounter with a doomed friend, Steve Kowit's poetry has chosen, in the manner of certain Sufi tales, a disarmingly earthy presence. Rhapsodic and hilarious by turns, this poetry is as engaging and accessible as vivid prose. Steve Kowit is the author of several collections of poetry and IN THE PALM OF YOUR HAND: THE POET'S PORTABLE WORKSHOP; he has also translated Pablo Neruda's INCITEMENT TO NIXONCIDE AND PRAISE FOR THE CHILEAN REVOLUTION and edited THE MAVERICK POETS anthology. The recipient of an NEA and other awards, he has published work in numerous anthologies and journals including The Los Angeles Times and The New Yorker. He teaches at Southwestern College in Chula Vista.

Genres: Poetry

79 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

Reviews

[Brendan]

Rating: 3 1/2

Poetry in four sections: "Kiss", "Mysteries", "Crooked Grin", and "Last Will". I found the first two sections to be more fruitful than the latter two. He often employs humor, and I appreciate his style in small doses, but it got old after a while. His leftist political leaning is clear in some pieces, but that doesn't necessarily make them bad poems.

Favorites:
"Kiss" - Witnessing, not partaking.
"Hell"
"Solo Monk" - Thelonious Monk in New York City

Night lit with its incense & tongues, its muted horn & its velvet drum.
Night with its muffled cries in the dark.
- "For My Birthday"

Did the universe have a beginning
or did some sort of primal matter always exist?
Either way it doesn't make sense!
- "Mysteries"

[M.F. Soriano · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably one of the top five poetry books I've ever read. Maybe even one of the top three. Witty, eloquent, 'poetic' use of language, but still easily accessible and solidly grounded. Because of that ease of entry, and the emotional power Kowit wields, these poems remind me in some ways of Bukowski. But Kowit is a very different character than Bukowski, with a very different perspective: a sort of innocent, boyish exuberance and playfulness, but also an incredible empathy and capacity to communicate sorrow. Kowit also feels more daring than Bukowski, to me--while Bukowski hides behind an armor of machismo, Kowit's willing to really show his vulnerabilities, and he's not afraid to play the fool. Does raise some questions though, like "what the hell is poetry, anyway?" With just minor tweaking, a lot of these poems could probably pass into prose form.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delicious! There is a world of lay-'em-in-the-aisle sermons just in Part III! One coming up this Sunday!