Lewis Warsh Libri

Bernadette Mayer and Lewis Warsh wrote Piece of Cake as a work of collaborative prose poetry, based on a process of each writing on alternate days in the course of August of 1976-the bicentennial year of the America's Declaration of Independence. It recounts the quotidian details of daily activities, negotiating the exigencies of young, married-with-children life, the artistic path and citizenship. It has the classic "I did this, I did that" of a New York School of Poetry text, as characterized by the poetry of Frank O'Hara, and is somewhat reminiscent of Mayer's work Studying Hunger Journal, written not long before taking up Piece of Cake. Another distinguishing feature of this work is that it is arguably the first significant male-female collaboration in 20th century American poetry. Regarding the possible derivation of the work's title, and exemplary of the work's tenor, is the start of Warsh's entry of August 29: "I also recall getting up and eating a piece of left-over cake (a very sweet store-bought cake with green or possibly pinkish icing) and drinking a glass of milk at the kitchen window. Empty streets, no moon. Michael and Twinkie asleep on the floor of Bernadette's room, Guy and Karen in mine, Bill on the couch in the living room. Marie in her crib. Everyone 'dead to the world,' a phrase I dislike, what a full house."

Inseparable collects poems written between 1995 and 2005 by the New York poet, editor and novelist Lewis Warsh. Strongly identified with New York since the 1960s, when he co-founded Angel Hair magazine with Anne Waldman, Warsh makes poems from the city’s linguistic fabric, interwoven with a bemused real-time interiority. The 35 poems of this collection are pitted with reminiscences made approachable to the reader by their lack of self-absorption; it is the momentum of the will to persist by means of language--“moving, word by word”--against the incipient flickerings of mortality, that is their real logic. This act of self-propulsion may be subject to doubt (“Can we spend our lives feeding/off simple endurance?”), but it is humbly Warsh resists the inflated rhetoric such preoccupations usually attract and sticks instead with (in the words of his colleague Clark Coolidge) “confusion, in strict order.”

Set in the early 1980s, the story follows Billie, a high school senior who tutors Ted, a basketball star grappling with a drinking problem. As she navigates her new sexual awareness and explores her identity through literature, Billie delves into the complexities of suburban life and relationships. The narrative blends coming-of-age themes with a critique of American society, capturing the tension between aspiration and reality. Through Billie’s journey, the book examines the nuances of love, despair, and hope in a vibrant yet troubled world.

The narrative employs multiple perspectives to explore a deeply emotional and sensual story, showcasing the author's remarkable storytelling skills. With exquisite detail, the novel delves into themes of desperation and honesty, creating a rich and immersive reading experience. Warsh's talent for invention shines through, offering a compelling exploration of human emotions within a beautifully crafted framework.

The novel captivates readers with its exquisite prose and profound engagement, reminiscent of classic literature. Warsh's mastery of grammar and syntax creates a rich tapestry of language, where each sentence feels like a treasured gem. The narrative invites deep reflection, connecting with universal experiences through poignant passages that resonate with everyday life. This immersive reading experience highlights the beauty of words and the emotional depth they can convey.

The collection showcases over 20 years of stories by Lewis Warsh, characterized by their low-key yet haunting quality. Each tale contains a poetic essence that subtly resonates with readers, creating an enduring impact. Warsh's narrative style drifts through various materials, crafting extraordinary tales that engage without relying on flashy techniques. This volume encapsulates the essence of masterful storytelling, as noted by Samuel R. Delany, inviting readers to experience the lingering effects of Warsh's unique voice.

Poetry. ALIEN ABDUCTION is Lewis Warsh's first full-length collection of poems since INSEPARABLE (2008). Warsh extends his exploration of the way fragments of thought and feeling and experience come together to form the illusion of a solid object that can also explode into a million pieces at any moment. The whole is never the sum of its parts. A kind of doomsday hopelessness both invigorates and subdues all questions of what it means to be a living and breathing human. These poems are personal, direct, and elusive at the same time. An accomplished fiction writer, it's no wonder that Warsh's poems are often guided by hidden narratives, stories inside stories, with no beginning, middle, or end.

Animated by a poignant blend of humor, pathos, joie de vivre, and nostalgia, ELIXIR is an extended meditation on everyday life and the passage of time. Fragments of narrative, overheard dialogue, song lyrics, and slant memoir surface and recede throughout. Examining the inseparable entanglement of the quotidian and the profound with wit and candor, these poems are personal, direct, and elusive at the same time. Contemporary Poetry. American Poetry. New York Poet. New York School.

Fiction. "Lewis Warsh's stories are devastatingly good. Fragments of plain unlikely lives are enacted in expertly simple, sinuous prose. Characters evolve in a bewitching and scary realm somewhere between event and insight, at the unnerving center of what we take to be reality. These people are all too convincing - we wouldn't want to be them, but we probably are" -Harry Mathews.