{"id":118,"date":"2012-08-14T18:03:48","date_gmt":"2012-08-14T18:03:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sockmonkeypress.org\/wp\/?p=118"},"modified":"2013-12-12T00:05:49","modified_gmt":"2013-12-12T00:05:49","slug":"terence-degnan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sockmonkeypress.org\/?p=118","title":{"rendered":"The Small Plot Beside the Ventriloquist’s Grave by Terence Degnan"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"TheThe Small Plot Beside the Ventriloquist’s Grave<\/em>
\nby Terence Degnan<\/p>\n

In his debut poetry collection, Degnan dissects religion, government, fatherhood,brotherhood and attempts at collecting and keeping loved ones. His words barrel forward with a lyrical slyness, referencing mythology and long ago worlds while winding together the disparate threads of contemporary American culture. With a rhythmic and powerful beauty, Degnan reminds us that we only imagine ourselves as free.\u00a0(Retail $15.00, pp 106, ISBN:978-0-9825041-1-2, paperback, August 2012.)<\/small><\/p>\n

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\u201cTerence\u2019s poems don\u2019t simply sit upon the page, waiting for you to read them; they grab you in their wind and spiral up above the earth until you are hanging with Major Tom out there in the ether, looking down upon our spinning orb with different eyes.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2013\u2013 Kate Hill Cantrill,
\nAuthor of Walk Back From Monkey School<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c[Degnan’s poems] are simply propelled into the atmosphere urgent, heartfelt, both playful and dead serious. The contagious energy of the music hops off the page. It’s hard to keep up with the burning fuse of these lines, but well worth the effort. His dazzling imagery will send your head spinning. He’s a true original whose voice needs to be heard.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2013\u2013 Jim Daniels,
\nAuthor of All of the Above<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Excerpt<\/span>:<\/span><\/p>\n

on our backs<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/strong>in our winter clothes
\ncounting the windows
\nof my father\u2019s house
\nyou ask about the people
\nwho live there now
\nI say the man, he\u2019s old
\nthe woman, she\u2019s crazy
\nthey\u2019re doing their best to live up to the portraits
\ncrucified to the drywall
\nthe light that bounces off the manicured grass
\nis light enough
\nthat the scene could be rockwellian
\ncould be pornography<\/p>\n

\"Terence<\/a>Terence Degnan is a poet and spoken word artist. His work is published in various literary magazines including The Other Herald, The Front Weekly and the OWS Poetry Anthology. His two spoken word albums, 2008’s BC & 2010\u2019s Calling Shotgun were produced in Pittsburgh, PA, and Raleigh, NC, respectively. The Small Plot Beside the Ventriloquist’s Grave is Degnan’s first published collection of poetry. He lives in Brooklyn with his wife and daughter.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t

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Order The Small Plot Beside the Ventriloquist's Grave<\/span><\/legend>\n\t\t\t\t\t\tThe Small Plot<\/span> @ $15.00<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t