i write therefore i am (?)
By Roy Anthony Shabla
Poetry Book
Pre-review by John Brantingham
My friend Scott once said that bad poets get into language poetry so
they can just write the word “duck” on a piece of paper ten times and be done
with it.
I don’t know if that’s necessarily true, but it feels like it.
By way of explaining, language poetry is a movement that started with poets
like Gertrude Stein and took off in the 1970s and emphasizes the way words work
together instead of meaning.
It’s easy to do badly.
Gertrude Stein did it well.
So does the Downey, CA, poet Roy Anthony
Shabla.
Or rather, Roy’s not exactly doing language poetry. Roy’s a poet who has
worked in with narrative poetry for years (think Robert Frost) and is bringing
elements of language poetry into his work so he’s able to make those the stories
in his poems have music.
And it’s not as though he’s just dropping the word “duck” into his poems
ten times in random spots. That would be like dropping it in this piece for
absolutely no reason.
Duck
Duck
Duck
Duck
Duck
Duck
Duck
Duck
Duck
Duck
No, Roy Anthony Shabla is a poet who is able to combine language poetry
with narrative poetry to create an emotion that goes beyond the story that he’s
telling. His work is elegant and often difficult, the kind of work that you can
read again and again to gain more insight into what he’s saying and the
worldview that his work is coming out of.
Roy has a new book
coming out, and I’m going to be the first in line to buy it. I’ve loved his
other books, but from what I’ve heard of this newest book, he’s plunged more
deeply into the language poetry, and I’m interested in what he has to say.
Better yet, he’s going to be reading his work this Saturday in Downey, CA, at
7:30pm. He’ll be at 9029 Florence Avenue in Downey, just off the 605 in a
barbershop off all places, Roni’s #34. There’s an open mic beforehand so if
you’ve written something you’re proud of, bring it.
I’m going to be there, and so is most of the crew for the upcoming San Gabriel Valley Literary Festival. It’s going to be
great.
~More about the poet, Roy Anthony Shabla:
the films ~ roy anthony shabla
the books ~ roy anthony shabla
the paintings ~ roy anthony shabla
the films ~ roy anthony shabla
the books ~ roy anthony shabla
the paintings ~ roy anthony shabla
~~More about the reviewer:
John Brantingham is the author of:
Mann of War
Oak Tree Press 2012-2013
Poetry Chapbook.
Let Us All Pray Now to Our Own Strange GodsWorld Parade Books 2012-2013
Study AbroadWormwood Chapbooks, October 2012, Pre-Order Now! -----
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3 comments:
thank you very much. my books are available from my website: RoyAnthonyShabla.com
http://royanthonyshabla.com/books.html
i have two books of poetry currently in print... and now, two chappbooks! plus three other books of prose.
Love it! Keep it coming Mr.Shabla!
Great work! Keep it coming Mr.Shabla
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