There is little doubt that Hoagland is an acquired taste. He straddles the line between genius and lunatic in my opinion, and after many reads over a number of years, he finally landed hard on the genius side of my fence. I adore his work. It is brilliant! I connect with the topics and themes, but I truly love his (at times) shocking use of language. I always find myself excited by poets who say things in ways that I never imagined. In Hoagland's case, once said, they seem so very right.

Although I am entirely enamored with over half of the poems in this collection, I cannot say that I love every poem equally. There are most certainly standouts. However, even the poems that I do not love have brilliant moments that stick in my mind despite infrequent readings. Suburbs smelling of 'meatloaf perfume'? It's quirky and amazing... and located in the middle of a poem that is not a favorite. I never tire of reading the collection, and every time I pick it up, I become drawn to yet another poem that had gained only passing interest before.

People who enjoy free verse with considerable attitude and a unique perspective.

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Created Dec 22, 2014 at 10:22pm • Submit your own review...