A Hummock in the Malookas: Poems (The National Poetry Series) [Hardcover]

Matthew Rohrer (Author)

Book Description

Series: The National Poetry Series | Publication Date: August 1995

Exploring quirky perspectives on truth, a critically acclaimed collection of poetry explores a landscape of skewed realities in which the impossible becomes familiar. Winner of the 1994 Natonal Poetry Series. Reprint.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Rohrer, a hip young poet whose first collection here has been selected as a 1994 National Poetry Series winner by Mary Oliver, offers a clue to his work by quoting for an epigraph the surrealist painter, Rene Magritte. Rohrer's imagery is intensely visual, as in the opening lines of "news of the dead pope": "Out of a window musical notes float in single file/ past the windbreak of sage-colored trees." In Rohrer's landscape, the inanimate is conscious: dust from a snapped rug hangs angrily in the air; a radio weeps. In another poem, a house looks in on its inhabitants, who are making love in the kitchen: "The refrigerator shudders and tries to shrug them off"; afterwards, a dessert "...passes out out from the pain of his first bite." The humans of Rohrer's world seem sad and ritual-driven; they too are subject to a reality beyond the expected: there are waiters who are "ashamed to serve anyone," people who have "tender teeth" and others who find that their hands, having gained wills of their own, molest passing strangers. From this ordered turmoil of whimsy and highlighted limitation emerges our awareness of a talented new poet of leaping imagination who manages to claim a place among the video generation without sacrificing individual vision or the precise use of language.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

A sacher torte that passes out when bitten into, furniture that sighs, a luminous fork undergoing a drama "worthy of investigation:" household objects made otherworldy drift in and out of this haunting first book by a native of Oklahoma and graduate of the Iowa Writers Workshop. As a rule, domestic surrealism quickly disappoints; we pick up on the routine and know what to expect, what disparate elements will be juxtaposed next and to what cold effect. But Rohrer never falls back on the usual formula. His imagery is more the product of a wakeful, disquieting solitude than some mechanical nightmare, and this makes for a poetry rich in human pathos and heart. A car is afraid of being junked, a pond groans while freezing to death. Seldom does pathetic fallacy so sadly articulate truth as it does in this book, a winner of the 1994 National Poetry Series, judged by Mary Oliver.
Copyright © 1996, Boston Review. All rights reserved. -- From The Boston Review --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 250 pages
• Publisher: W W Norton & Co Inc; 1st edition (August 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0393037983
• ISBN-13: 978-0393037982
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.7 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #533,018 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars His Papa was a Flying-Horse Doctor, November 2, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: A Hummock in the Malookas: Poems (The National Poetry Series) (Hardcover)

Funny thing happened on a train between Cali and NY, that being I met my wife who was getting drunk on can beer in the window seat directly across me, I had my eyes on her the WHOLE time, what with her almost satanically green green eyes and beautosity, anyway I asked Would you like one more beer I am going to the liquor car before it closes? she said No no thank you, if I drink any more I wont be able to enjoy this book! What are you reading I say she say I am reading this AMAZING book of poems Hammock in the Maloikas by Matt Rorer and I didn't really want to hear about it because I don't love poetry and anyhow I wanted her to put book away and get to know me, anyway the rest of the story you can imagine we made love in her windowseat Amtrak styled that night and I kept opening my eye and seeing that freaking book of poems there on the pulldown tray with his picture staring at me, now we are married and live in Cali and I read the book actually a coupla weeks ago and it is really good I mean freakin scary, real odd and spoons are going nuts in there! Punk rock too, I am sure he was (is? I don't know, Joella [my wife] herd from somebody he died) a real punk rocker when he was young man. Well that's all for now I cant write to well thanks, Kirm Horvo

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great service!, September 8, 2010

By 

Anthony - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Hummock in the Malookas: Poems (National Poetry Series Books) (Paperback)

I was surprised to see the book in my mailbox so soon. I had just received notice that it was shipped on the 6th and received it on the 7th. Thank you so much for the swift delivery and the great condition of the book!

2 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Nice guy, Great Poet, December 2, 2000

By 

Roel Torres (Boston, MA, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hummock in the Malookas: Poems (National Poetry Series Books) (Paperback)

If you have the slightest interest in poetry, I can't imagine a single reason why you wouldn't enjoy this book. Matthew Rohrer is clearly one of the great rising stars in modern American poetry, and this collection is an excellent introduction to his mastery, skill, and clever wit. I once attended a reading of his at the Brroklyn Museum of Art, and was impressed because he was such a nice, modest young man. He was clearly talented and full of ideas, yet also the kind of guy you would want to hang out with at the office and talk to over a couple of beers.

You will not regret buying this book. Poetry should be a vital part of everyday life, and Matthew Rohrer should be a vital part of everyone's poetry collection.