Wordcraft of Oregon releases new book by Dan Raphael.
IMPULSE & WARP: The Selected 20th Century Poems by Dan Raphael
ISBN: 978-1-877655-68-5, LCN: 2010925247
first trade paperback, 7.5 X 9.25, 162 pages, $15, plus $3.50 s/h
“Dan Raphael is one of the finest prophetic poets composing in English. He focuses on his subjects so intently they dissolve and he rearranges the molecules into recombinant linguistic poetry for now and the future.” –Charles Potts, author of The Portable Potts and Valga Krusa
“Musical, intelligent and perpetually mutable…Impulse & Warp is a gift of high art made of the raw materials…Essential sound from one of our finest singers.” -Jake Berry, author of Branbu Drezi and Cyclones in High Northern Latitudes
“Dan Raphael is from the great tradition–he doesn’t want to think about or judge his work. He wants to keep making more: the unstoppable soul importance of the poet, the ‘knowing your friends by the shape of their breaths.’ Impulse & Warp is a wild wonderful ride, a kaleidoscope of words, sensations and ideas.” -Sharon Doubiago, author of My Fathers Love and Love on the Streets
“Dan Raphael’s poetry lights up the dark abyss with sparks generated by blows from Vulcan’s hammer. Watch out innocent civilians, friendly fire is headed your way.” -Casey Bush, Senior Editor of Bear Deluxe Magazine
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dan Raphael’s poems have appeared in around 300 publications including Caliban, Central Park, Heaven Bone, Lost and Found Times, Nebula Awards 31, Pacific Northwestern Spiritual Poetry, Tinfish, Otoliths, Portland Review, Unlikely Stories, Short Fuse, Haggard and Halloo, Raven Chronicles and x-stream. Among his books of the 21st Century are Showing Light a Good Time (Wordcraft of Oregon/Jazz Police, 2001), Among My Eyes (x-stream, 2002) and Breath Test (nine muses books, 2007). An energetic and intense performer, Dan has given over 200 readings, including places like Bumershoot, Portland Poetry Festival, Powell’s Books, Cornell University, Red Sky Poetry Theatre, Reed College, Artquake, Southern Oregon University, Moe’s Books, Portland Jazz Festival, and the Astrochimp Impact Crater. He edited NRG Magazine for 18 years, then published 26 Books (26 chapbooks of 26 pages by 26 authors). Starting at college, he had organized readings and poetry events for over 30 years, including one monthly series that lasted 13 years, and Poetland, where 80 poets read in 8 venues over an 8 hour span. Despite degrees from Cornell, Bowling Green State and Western Washington, Dan has stayed out of teaching, working first for the post office and later for the Oregon DMV. He lives in Portland, OR, with his wife Melba and son Orion.
I came across this in the ‘Random’ picks and thought “oh, there’s that Dan Raphael i’ve been reading of late.” When i logged in, the randoms refreshed to new ones so i search the author to find this one and then noticed Mr. Raphael had like gobs of poems going back to 2008 or so and 3-4 of which i had commented on. Usually i’ll remember names ok but i guess it took a while for Dan Raphael.
Anyways, i always enjoy reading the acclamations or short review blurbs on a book and on someone’s work. I liked the Charles Pott’s one: “…He [Dan Raphael] focuses on his subjects so intently they dissolve and he rearranges the molecules into recombinant linguistic poetry for now and the future.†And i thought the last one by Casey Bush was funny: “Dan Raphael’s poetry lights up the dark abyss with sparks generated by blows from Vulcan’s hammer. Watch out innocent civilians, friendly fire is headed your way.â€
I’ve tried here and there to match the intensity and scope of a ‘review-acclamation’ in some of the comments i make on other’s works–a difficult thing unto itself! It’s hard to say something that hasn’t already been said and to say it in a creative way. In any case, i gots like a handful of books on my wishlist but i’ll put this one on it. If the book is anything like the H & H material, then it’ll be a star exploding phenomenon (although star creation might be better, eh?).