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Joel Derfner

Gay Haiku Hardcover – May 10, 2005

by Joel Derfner (Author)

15 ratings

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Impossible to resist, this hilariously sassy and sweet collection of haiku turns the perilous sport of gay dating into pure poetry.

For hundreds of years, the Japanese haiku has been equated with peaceful contemplation and spiritual enlightenment. A delicate balance of rhythm and line, the haiku has provided countless readers with an appreciation of the changing of the seasons and the miracles of nature. Now, in Gay Haiku, readers can finally appreciate more important things—like the changing of boyfriends and the miracles of shopping.

Irresistible and irreverent, this collection of one hundred and ten witty and wicked short poems captures the many dating disasters of first-time author Joel Derfner. In a wonderfully fresh and original voice, Derfner shamelessly mines his personal life to send up such broad-ranging topics as gay pop culture, politics, family, sex, and, of course, home decorating.

Gay, straight, or undecided, readers will delight in Derfner’s dry sense of humor and unmistakable charm as he tackles the big questions of life.

Print length

128 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Crown Archetype
Publication date

May 10, 2005
Dimensions

5.29 x 0.58 x 6.32 inches
ISBN-10

076791984X
ISBN-13

978-0767919845
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

JOEL DERFNER graduated from Harvard with a degree in linguistics. His work for the musical theater has been produced in London, New York, and various cities in between. In an attempt to become the gayest person ever, he took up knitting and got a job as a step aerobics instructor.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

one

I don't understand.
You love it when I do that--
Wait, no. That's Stephen.

two

Frantically hiding
Porno and Mapplethorpe prints--
Mom is on her way.

three

Remember when I
Said I disliked oral sex?
I meant just with you.

Four

My seventh birthday;
I weep at Barbie's Dream House.
How could you not know?

Five

The salmon's divine,
But I'm afraid we can't stay--
I fucked our waiter.

six

It's our second date,
And I'm not sure I love you.
It's time to break up.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Crown Archetype (May 10, 2005)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 128 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 076791984X
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0767919845
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 6.4 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.29 x 0.58 x 6.32 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #2,905,551 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #954 in Haiku & Japanese Poetry
- #5,785 in Love, Sex & Marriage Humor
- #10,685 in LGBTQ+ Genre Fiction (Books)

Customer Reviews:
15 ratings

Customer reviews

5 star		63%
4 star		15%
3 star 0% (0%)		0%
2 star		17%
1 star		6%

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Top reviews from the United States

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John H from California ........

One of My Favorite Little Books

Reviewed in the United States on March 12, 2018

Verified Purchase

This is a nice little book. It is clever and well written. I pick it up every once in a while and look at it and smile and I like to share it with my friends. In fact, I but this copy as a gift.

Helpful

Erika K. Moore

Irreverent, original, hilarious.

Reviewed in the United States on May 18, 2005

Verified Purchase

A great, fun, quick read and/or gift (terrific text, but it's beautifully produced too -- and won't break the bank). And by the way, if you're straight (I am), don't be put off by the title -- love is love is love; whatever your orientation, you'll relate to the take on romance (the good, the bittersweet, the downright awful).

10 people found this helpful

Helpful

Keyglow

Neither Japanese Nor Gay

Reviewed in the United States on August 3, 2005

But I really enjoyed this book. Funny story, I was actually trapped in a BN during a rainstorm when my girlfriend plucked it off the shelf, just on a whim. We read it from cover to cover, laughing non-stop at the author's wealth of wit in economy of word. There are passages in this book that in only syllables had us at once laughing and crying, which personally, is an occurrence too infrequent with contemporary literature these days. The truest tesatment to his book though, isn't so much the thorughly enjoyable read, but that I had no idea my connection with the author until I finished it and saw his picture on the back flap. "Oh yeah..." I thought. Four out of five dentists agree: Gay Haiku - not just a novelty. Get it. Love it. Share it with your mom.

4 people found this helpful

Helpful

Sharon

The reviews are right

Reviewed in the United States on April 8, 2008

Go out and buy five copies; it will never be returned if you lend it to friends.

-- HX, April 29, 2005

This is too true. My copy has been "on loan" since a month after I bought it in 2006. Now I need to buy another copy, because I really can't not have it at home forever.

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

davidb1224

Hilarious and poignant poems

Reviewed in the United States on May 16, 2005

This little book of haiku with gay themes had the potential to be a cutesy "impulse" sort of purchase, but it ended up truly delighting me on many levels. Each little three-line poem, alone on its page, evokes a complete narrative--possibly even an epic novel--condensed into seventeen syllables. The quick hit of each poem, usually a wry laugh, blends into the pleasure of recognition . . . and finally, your mind is forced to provide some sort of context for the unfolding scene it is forced to imagine. I had to keep flipping back to to the author's photograph on the back cover to see the face of the person who could come up with such things. Highly recommended.

11 people found this helpful

Helpful

NYC reader

damn funny!

Reviewed in the United States on May 18, 2005

I picked up this book in Barnes & Noble because it looked cute and I thought it might have some fun stuff in it. It turned out to be terrific! I laughed almost the whole way through. I went back to get another copy as a present for a friend but they were sold out so I ordered it from amazon. I'd definitely recommend this book to people looking for something smart and funny to read or to give as a gift.

10 people found this helpful

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Tower Songster

Best Gay Haiku Book Ever

Reviewed in the United States on June 3, 2005

OK, maybe it's the only Gay Haiku book ever, but this book is fantastic. It's laugh out loud funny, clever, and incredibly sharp and insightful. It's also often surprisingly poignant. Highly recommended.

5 people found this helpful

Helpful

Staggo

Trite stereotyping

Reviewed in the United States on April 23, 2009

The haiku in this book is mediocre at best. But what's offensive are the the subject matters. Themes of all these poems are so typical of what gays are supposed to do and think--shopping, vicious gossip, etc. There is no depth, no sophistication. Half way through (and I read the whole book) I was exhausted by the usual queer bitchiness. Don't buy this book.

3 people found this helpful

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