The Plumber's Apprentice [Paperback]

Joe Weil (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 17, 2009 | ISBN-10: 1935520105 | ISBN-13: 978-1935520108

Poetry. THE PLUMBER'S APPRENTICE differs from Weil's previous work in that it charts the nature of suffering beyond the limits of his working class "Elizabeth" and focuses more deeply on two aspects of his life: his Irish Catholic sense of communion, with the living and the dead (all who have gone forth marked with the sign of faith), and the essential solitude of being a single, short, bald man who has no offspring, no legacy, no beloved, and is falling, however slowly, to his death. Perhaps the question Weil asks most frequently is: given the inevitable coordinates of ongoing failure, how does a poet give the middle finger to grade z forms of Emersonian positivism and have some fun in this vale of tears? In sum: if love is impossible, and life severely limited, and loneliness is devouring the furniture, where's the closest bar, and do they have a good jukebox? For brief moments Weil succeeds in making failure, death and love his drinking buddies. In the poet's messed up ontology, they make for a lively and comical crew.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Joe Weil was born and raised in Elizabeth, New Jersey, where he attended St. Mary of The Assumption grade school and high school. For over 20 years, Weil worked on the graveyard shift at various factories, mainly at National Tool and Manufacturing in Kenilworth, New Jersey. During this time, he became involved in hosting poetry readings in both New Jersey and New York, and founded the literary magazine Black Swan Review. Weil is currently a lecturer in the creative writing department at Binghamton University. He has three books of poetry: THE PLUMBER'S APPRENTICE (NYQ Books, 2009), Painting the Christmas Trees (Texas Review Press, 2008), and What Remains (Night Shade Press, 2008).

Product Details

• Paperback: 104 pages
• Publisher: NYQ Books (August 17, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1935520105
• ISBN-13: 978-1935520108
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 8.5 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,265,049 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars The Lyricism of Daily Life, January 31, 2010

By 

Leslie L. Heywood (Vestal, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Plumber's Apprentice (Paperback)

In The Plumber's Apprentice, Joe Weil continues his tradition of mixing the high lyricism of a poetic tradition that has its roots in Dante, Herbert, and Donne with the contemporary vernacular of the Jersey streets. Weil experiences everything as an existential emergency, and that urgency explodes throughout the poems, from the tragicomedy of romantic relationships to the invocation of an always-too-absent or absurdist God. There is a lot of Beckett in Weil's world, but a lot of Faulkner, too--the beautiful and the ugly so intertwined that they become indistinguishable, ravishing, whole. These are words to savor and to think about, and they will become part of your vocabulary, the rhythms of your daily life.

5.0 out of 5 stars a new direction for an old great, January 24, 2010

By 

Micah A. Towery "ottorino" (langley, bc, canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Plumber's Apprentice (Paperback)

if weil's older poetry bumped uglies with george herbert, this book would be their child. weil has created a beautiful new book that doesn't leave behind his old self, but takes it to new places. it's good to see that he is finally getting the recognition he deserves. check out his other books if you haven't. and if you're really lucky, see if you can pick up some of his stuff published on vendetta/iniquity press. fabulous stuff.