Poetry: Selections From John Yamrus

if

 

he 

or she 

 

or 

they 

or them 

 

or it 

 

speaks 

to your heart,

 

take 

it home 

and keep it. 

 

everything else 

is a great big waste of time.

 

 

 

he was afraid...

 

afraid 

of dark things, 

 

strange things, 

 

dangerous things, 

 

difficult 

and deep things, 

 

and 

most of all 

he was afraid of her, 

 

and that 

was the best thing ever.

John Yamrus is one of the most prolific writers of poetry on the scene today, He is widely considered to be a master of minimalism and the neo-noir in modern poetry. The relaxed style of his writing can be seen as a continuation of the oral tradition of literature associated with Allen Ginsberg and The Beats, and his poems are best appreciated when read aloud. The unlikely pairing of often dark subjects, combined with humor and irreverence has become something of a trademark of his work. His nearly 50 published books, which include not only poetry, but also novels, memoirs and a children’s book, are beginning to appear in translation, and he is a frequent guest on podcasts and television programs. His acclaimed memoir, The Street, is a look back at his early years, growing up less than wealthy, in a Pennsylvania coal town in the late 1950s. His latest books include: seriously! and Doing Cartwheels on Doomsday Afternoon.