Synopses & Reviews
Review
"Peter Davis is considered to be one of the most important American contemporary poets."
Time Out Tel Aviv
"The consistent, unabashed persona that Davis writes in creates a rhythm that often echoes the pace of the reader's thoughts—it is fluid, sometimes quick, and difficult to control. Davis builds a platform for our imaginations to fill in the blank." H_NGM_N
"Davis works in the same vein as John Ashbery, by making things so personal, they're universal." Best American Poetry
"Peter Davis is a master of the prose poem format." Midwest Review
Synopsis
"Who is Tina?" we asked.
"There is, was or was not this girl or this idea called Tina and these are poems regarding that murky situation," Peter said.
With his previous two books, Davis obsessed about mustaches and poetry (among other things, but mostly those things). In this book, he turns his obsessive eye toward memory, nostalgia, love, revolution, and a million what-ifs to create a loose narrative of Tina and Kyle that's both bittersweet and spiked with idiosyncratic humor. They're difficult people in ordinary situations. Sometimes things happen. Here Davis abandons the "radical honesty" of Poetry! Poetry! Poetry! for something weirder, and lets his muse (or anti-muse) lead the way.
As Peter explains, "I mean it’s a lot different to say, 'the woods are lovely dark and deep, and miles to go before I sleep' and saying, 'the woods are lovely dark and deep, and miles to go before I sleep, Bob.'"
He's got a point there.
About the author:
Peter Davis lives with his sweet wife, son and daughter. His poems have appeared in places like Atticus, Jacket, and the Best American Poetry anthology. He draws, writes and makes music in Muncie, Indiana while teaching English at Ball State University. More info at artisnecessary.com or tinapeterdavis.blogspot.com.