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The Plumber's Apprentice

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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.

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.