Alms for the Brilliant

Won't You Please Help?

Alms for the Brilliant is a Lens dedicated to those poor Literary Hobos that spend their life trying to make sense of this world for us, only to be spat upon by the masses. The Poets and Authors you'll find here are the creme de la creme of obscurity (which means they have still probably earned major awards). My mission is to usher them out of oblivion and into the warmth of the spotlight. Great literature is a dying art form, and poetry is already stiff with rigamortis. But, fear not, utilizing secret Zombie technology I believe we can revive them together. For the price of a cup of coffee (okay a big cup of coffee) you too can help feed the brilliant men and women of this world. Give freely. Give often. And, pass on the word.

Don't forget to RATE this site above! Simply click on the stars to rate it.

I Can't Give. . .

So, you can't give. Why? The most common reasons relating to poetry are:

* Poetry is too flowery
* Poetry is too hard to understand

This is a sure-fire sign that you've been reading the wrong poetry or you're confusing poetry with Hallmark greeting cards. Consider this passage for example from Grandpa's Liquor Bottles by Richard Newman

We lay down our guns and lined another row
of Grandpa's liquor bottles under the sun,
let them fill with light one last time
and glow with phosphorescent life, and then
we shot them to slivers in the oily black dirt

Sound, fluffy too you? Is that hard to read? I think not. So, now that we've got that out of the way. Let's take a look a more closely at a few of my favorite brilliant hobos.

Who Are The Brilliant?

Below are a smattering of today's great Poets and Fiction Writers. No filler here, only those whose words have the power to evoke and change.

Richard Newman: Born in Illinois, raised in Southern Indiana, and now living in Saint Louis, Richard Newman's first full-length collection of poetry, Borrowed Towns, is as touching as it is haunting.
Eric Shade: For the fiction lovers, Eric Shade's book of short stories, Eyesores, will have you laughing one minute and feeling uneasy the next. A masterful piece, Shade is one of the best short story writers today.
Andrew Hudgins: Author of numerous books of poetry, Andrew Hudgins has a gift for nostalgia like no other. His first book, Saints and Strangers, was runner-up for the Pulitzer Prize, and The Never-Ending was a finalist for the National Book Award.
Grace Paley: In my estimation, one of the greatest short-story writers of our time, Grace Paley says more in one sentence than most writers can in an entire page. Paley's The Collected Stories is one of my most treasured possessions.
Donald Finkel: Having taught at University of Iowa and Washington University, Finkel is a well-respected poet and teacher. He has published 14 books of poetry and has received numerous honors. Truly, one of my favorite poets, I have often seen Finkel strolling about Lafayette Park in Saint Louis on Spring days.

Books by the Brilliant

GLASS HAMMER CL

by Andrew Hudgins

One of the most influential books for me, personally. If you grew up in the South, you must read this book.

Amazon Price: (as of 10/16/2008)

Borrowed Towns

by Richard Newman

The first full-length book from Poet, and good friend, Richard Newman. If sarcasm and realism are your forte, you'll read this book front to back for sure.

Amazon Price: $17.00 (as of 10/16/2008)

Eyesores

by Eric Shade

Amazon Price: $24.95 (as of 10/16/2008)

The Collected Stories

by Grace Paley

An enormous accomplishment, The Collected Stories will leave you puzzled over how one person can say so much with so few words.

Amazon Price: (as of 10/16/2008)

Not So the Chairs: Selected and New Poems

by Donald Finkel

Amazon Price: $24.00 (as of 10/16/2008)

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