She’s gotta pivot

“IN [KIRBY’S] SHE’S HAVING A DORIS DAY, THERE ARE JUXTAPOSITIONS BETWEEN WHITE MIDDLE CLASS POLITESSE AND WHAT’S HIDDEN BENEATH THE SURFACE, SUCH AS COCKROACHES IN “WHITE SALE”, A PRISTINE BED THAT IS NEVER USED FOR SEX. I LIKE THE WAY GENDER IS HANDLED IN AN ALMOST CASUAL WAY IN THIS POEM. IN “ADAM’S FEET” WE HAVE THE IMAGE OF FRAGILITY AND VOLATILITY: LILIES IN A GLASS VASE IN A CHURCH AT THE FUNERAL FOR THE VICTIMS OF THE FLORIDA SHOOTING AND WANTING TO KISS THE FEET OF A STRAIGHT MAN WHO WOULD KILL THE SPEAKER IF HE KNEW. THESE JUXTAPOSITIONS BETWEEN LOVE AND HATE, APPEARANCES AND REALITY CREATE POWERFUL POEMS…SO FUCKING IRREVERENT, JOYOUS AND SAD ALL AT THE SAME TIME.” – AMANDA EARL, KIKI

“THESE ARE POEMS THAT PROCLAIM A VICTORY THROUGH PERSEVERANCE, SURVIVAL AND A REFUSAL TO NOT EXIST LOUDLY AND JOYOUSLY…” @ROBMCLENNANBLOG

THIS WEDNESDAY

PIVOT. FEB 7. KIRBY, MAH, SHELSTAD. TIKI ROOM. TRANZAC CLUB. 8PM

KIRBY’s newest is She’s Having a Doris Day (Knife From Book, 2017). Earlier chapbooks include Simple Enough, Cock & Soul, Bob’s boy, and The world is fucked and sometimes beautiful. Their work appears in numerous anthologies beginning with the letter Q, and most recently online at The Rusty Toque (nominated for The Pushcart Prize), Matrix Magazine and bandcamp. Kirby is the owner/publisher of knife | fork | book.