Poetry: Not That He Ever Read Them, But By John Yamrus

not that he ever read them, but

 

he 

kept copies 

of books by Blaise Cendrars 

 

(he had two) 

 

on 

the table 

next to where he 

sat and drank his beer.  

 

when he 

brought women home,

he liked it when they’d pick them up 

 

and 

almost always ask: 

 

you 

read these? 

god, you must be smart as hell..

 

and 

he’d just smile 

and let them think 

whatever it was they were gonna think, 

 

because 

it didn’t really matter...

 

not 

to him 

or the girls 

and certainly not 

to Blaise Cendrars.

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.