Guests
by Kevin Sampsell, May 25, 2005 4:01 PM
"Even before I moved to Portland ten years ago I knew who Dan Raphael was from seeing his poetry in a bunch of lit zines. The first time I saw the big guy perform, towering over the mic and gesticulating wildly, it was like seeing some demented northwest version of Allen Ginsburg. But instead of sexuality, Raphael seems more interested in language and how it can be twisted. Some of his poems even have northwest themes (he makes rain more like an acid trip) or ecological concerns (making the destruction of our planet more entertaining than it should be). This special edition of selected 'hits' by Pudding House is a good place to get many Raphael poems that may be impossible to find. It's like language poetry filled with heart."
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