Generic Poetry

By Rachelle Bowden in Arts & Entertainment on Mar 18, 2005 4:16PM

Earlier in the week a copy of Naperville poet E.B. Kandl's book, Generic Poetry, was delivered to the Chicagoist offices. We browsed through and set it down, having to get back to work. Since then the book has been sitting on our desk and every now and then we've been breaking to read a sonnet here, a haiku here. It's a nice way to refresh your mind for a minute. And funny thing, as our coworkers have been passing by they've been pausing to pick up the book, open it up and read a verse or two before going on their way. To Chicagoist, this is the perfect way to read Generic Poetry. It's not a book you'd sit down a read from cover to cover, but one that's best sampled in short spurts.

The book is a collection of 224 sonnets, sestinas, haiku, and free verse about Kandl's life experiences, opinions, observations regarding American values, everyday events, and the wilderness. With subjects like a garage sale, a public restroom, his dog, and consumerism, these are real life experiences that Chicagoist, and you, can relate to.

Generic Poetry is a steal at $12.50 and can be purchased at the publisher's website.