NightBallet Press is excited to announce the publication of a brand new book by George Wallace: Drugged by Hollywood!
Drugged by Hollywood is the most recent collection of poems by the prolific George Wallace, a writer and performer living and working in NYC. He is First Poet Laureate of Suffolk County, NY, and Writer in Residence at the Walt Whitman Birthplace in West Hills.
Drugged by Hollywood contains 20 poems on 28 pages, including the delicious "Snort You Up Like Butterflies":
SNORT
YOU UP LIKE BUTTERFLIES
oh my honey the sea becomes you, rock pebble sand & seashell rattle your face, the tide races rich & round, furious as a summer squall -- suck you up like a lollypop, for the sweetness, pop you in my mouth for good luck, like bubblegum, your ears hang perfectly, tongue like kelp, a monstrous scallop fantails through your brave murky waters, pretty eyes, too smooth, smooth as a conch or opalescent string of pearls on the neck of a demi-god, trail of perfect tears, the corner of your mouth twitching like -- what is that, an angry sea urchin? -- neptune bristles inside your mouth he’s carrying a trident, his greek charm is working overtime –
oh my honey the sea becomes you, rock pebble sand & seashell rattle your face, the tide races rich & round, furious as a summer squall -- suck you up like a lollypop, for the sweetness, pop you in my mouth for good luck, like bubblegum, your ears hang perfectly, tongue like kelp, a monstrous scallop fantails through your brave murky waters, pretty eyes, too smooth, smooth as a conch or opalescent string of pearls on the neck of a demi-god, trail of perfect tears, the corner of your mouth twitching like -- what is that, an angry sea urchin? -- neptune bristles inside your mouth he’s carrying a trident, his greek charm is working overtime –
you are a masquerade, a hike thru seminole country
-- the city of new orleans is a small hollow in your brain, a threadbare herd
of goats wanders stupidly along your collarbone & I am stupid too, stupid
like them, mouth hung open like a great white shark washed up on the idiot
shore while a shrimpboat trawls your waves & a great haul of cod &
sardines is stowed deep in your belly -- a flatfish leaps silver & slow,
ignores my gaze –
no hurricane no palmetto no maze of marsh gas or fanboat can help me now -- I am blasted with love involuntary as a cottonmouth in a gunnysack I am cheap bait & wriggling worms I am snarled fishing line, if you were to touch me now I’d explode in brine, spew & phony hieroglyphics, bust open like a paper sack of beercans & whitebread sandwiches – that’s right beautiful, you are the original sea creature, god’s salty red sea tomato & I would climb into you vine juice seed & soul like jack & the giant & stem you handily -- oh do me no harm & I’ll do you the same -- let us exist together this fine summer day, pungent & alive as horse spit in clam chowder -- let’s get intravenous honey let’s get fundamental let’s get holy -- I want to snort you up like butterflies
The cover cardstock is light brown, with a cranberry red cardstock insert. The wonderful cover photograph is of an art piece titled "Sun Drop" by Ohio poet/artist Kevin Eberhardt. What a treasure this book is, from cover to cover! This is the fifth book that NightBallet Press has done for Wallace, and we are truly honored.
Drugged by Hollywood was released in Erie, Pennsylvania at the Friday, May 20, 2016 Poetry Scene reading with Vincent Quatroche and Dianne Borsenik, emceed by Chuck Joy and Kim Noyes, and hosted by Cee Williams. Wallace gave his usual brilliant performance, reading several poems from his new book.
You can get your very own copy of Drugged by Hollywood right here through PayPal, for only $5 plus $3 shipping/handling! You don't have to have a PayPal account to pay, all you need is a credit or debit card. Don't be left out...get your copy today!