#FRIDAYREADS - Poetry

Okay, I'm always reading more than one thing at a time. Do I ever get to finish everything I start? I have a toddler, so, um, no. But I do my best and that's half the battle. I think.

Anyhoo, without further ado, here are some #fridayreads poetry books I'm currently reading and are worth checking out:

1) The Children (Sarabande Books, 2012) by Paula Bohince
I met Paula when I lived in Paris, France. She is the sweetest, most down-to-earth person. Her poems just happen to be AMAZING. I heard her read out loud once at the American Library in Paris and was in awe. And I lovedlovedloved her book Incident at the Edge of Bayonet Woods, with poems that are dark, volatile, and moving. The poems in The Children are dense, intimate, and strong, too. Loving it so far.

2) Scrapple (No Press, 2012) by Jacob Spector
I picked up copies of Scrapple by Jacob Spector and Winnipeg Cold Storage Company by Jon Paul Fiorentino at their launch in Montreal recently. Haven't had a good look at Fiorentino's book yet (will try to get to it when I can) but I've been digging Spector's debut chapbook so far. I find myself being drawn into the words on the page, and I'm not always sure what's going on, but the poems are hypnotic and fun. Plus, I think he's from Connecticut, and after living in the Nutmeg state for the past six-or-so years, I gotta support a fellow Nutmegger.

3) Trill (Reality Hands, 2012) by Justin Carter
I ordered a special collector's edition copy of Carter's chapbook, so I got a signed book with a bunch of rad scribbles and doodles. Score! In this book there are references to crazy parties, chugging Olde English, listening to sad Tim McGraw songs, guns, and thinking about a Dean Young poem in a jazz club in Houston. Plus, I have to admit I didn't know what "trill" meant until reading this book. I learn something new everyday. This book is the trillest, yo.
 
4) Vortexts (SuperMachine, 2011) by Ben Mirov
I miss hanging out with Ben in Manhattan. But I live vicariously through him and his poems in his very rad chapbook, Vortexts. I can reread Ben's poems like forever. They are mysterious and readable and beautiful like crystal. His poems make me want to go out and write more poems.

5) Easy Peasy (Snare Books, 2011) by Kevin McPherson Eckhoff
I met Eckhoff at a conference in Toronto. He was wearing sandals and a suit. I liked him instantly. His book Easy Peasy is just as likeable. He runs a talkshow about poetry. He runs a blog called G'morning Poetry. It is awesome. Eckhoff's book has found poems, remixed instruction manuals, and images juxtaposed with words. Kinda like image macros but in book form. Weird. Anyway, READ IT!

Yup, that's it for now. Have a good weekend everybods.

G