Book

Codrescu, Andrei, 1946-

It was today : new poems / by Andrei Codrescu.

1st ed.

Minneapolis : Coffee House Press, ©2003.

144 pages ; 27 cm

In praise of his poetry, "The New York Times "calls Andrei Codrescu "one of our most prodigiously talented and magical writers." Part genius, part tongue-in-cheek provocateur, Codrescu is an audacious and passionate poet. The heart of this first new collection in nearly a decade is a beautiful conceit containing the "recently discovered" correspondence between a warrior and a courtesan in fourteenth-century China. These tender, timeless verses contrast nicely with tough, funny -poems about modern life and millennial malaise.

Andrei Codrescu is a celebrated poet, novelist, essayist, screenwriter, and commentator on National Public -Radio. A World Heavyweight Champion Poet, his many awards include the Literature Prize of the Romanian Cultural Foundation and the Peabody Award for his film "Road Scholar." Born in Romania, Andrei Codrescu lives in New Orleans.

Poetry.

1. The fire truck comes to your house -- We live -- Once -- A Nantucket sleigh ride -- Houses, scams, language -- Nickelodeon -- 1968 for Leonard Cohen -- January 3, 2001 -- To poetry -- Haiku + one -- Birthday poem & bed-frame I.O.U. -- The Portuguese eat a dish -- Laura -- After twenty-five years -- Old snake ponders -- My name is Andrei Codrescu -- My son came over -- Greetings they weren't using then -- As tears go by -- Draft -- A geography of poets -- My sympathy -- Defense of the meek -- Poetry, the ancients said. -- To the museum curators -- To a young poet -- On drunkenness -- Young men write poetry -- I hate youth -- The masses -- Taxes -- The dorkery -- Morning hike -- For Lynn Luria Sukenick -- Dream of January 11, 1999 after the first copies of messi@h arrived & Laura & I celebrated at Molly's and it was Gwen Albert's birthday too -- I need a pony -- What am I? Art? -- New Orleans aubade -- Another year -- When dreams get thick on Easy Street -- Sleeping with an open eye -- Opera later -- There are a lot of masseuses -- Soaking in rich people's tubs -- It has been going on a while -- Bad girls with glasses -- I knew what I wanted -- The diners -- Sheep (patriotic poetry) -- Rory -- 2. Lu Li & Weng Li -- Preface -- Lu Li -- Weng Li -- Coda -- 3. Often after a public event -- Every morning -- Brâncuṣi's fish -- How I got to America -- The revolution and the poet -- Eliade: a poem -- The failed encounter -- The American dream -- Babies and the two -- In Jerusalem on my 48th birthday -- The vision & prophecy plaza -- The hidden Jews -- Today -- Our gang -- Writers -- The view from the baby seat -- Two desert monks encounter the Christ of happiness, Christina -- What some of them were wearing -- My favorite boat has a horn on its side -- The party was boring -- New Orleans art for Wall Street -- Robert has a newton -- Last night at the relief -- Wartime questions & answers in Montréal -- 9/11 -- Alternatives.

Publisher description

2003055097

1566891469

9781566891462

1566891507

9781566891509

52381014

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143134

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811 Codrescu