Vincent
Francone
“The poet should be a DOG who pokes his nose in the garbage
can smells the roses in the emperor’s garden barks and howls at the moon even
if it ignores him.” - Adam Lizakowski.
So begins Anteroom
Poetry, a chapbook of poems split between Neal M. Warren and Adam
Lizakowski. As someone who has tried to
write poems, and has at times renounced the writing and reading of them, I find
these opening words to be nothing short of inspiring. The poet’s job is not to seek glory but to
write without it, in spite of all obstacles, to be the dog seeking and howling,
with or without acknowledgment.
The poets present different styles on different themes;
Warren’s poems speak of war, the inhumanity of it and the struggle of those who
fight, both on the battlefield and after returning home. Lizakowski’s work bounces from culture
clashing with American poets to the erotic ruminations and many points in
between. The collection is tight enough
to contain nothing but stunners and offers a glimpse into a
friendship and collaboration through poetry.
Vincent lives
in Chicago and has been published in Spectrum, Rhino, The Oklahoma Review, the
Jet Fuel Review, and other journals. He writes reviews for Three Percent
and won the 2009 Illinois Emerging Writer award for his long poem,
"Chicago."
ANTEROOM POETRY
BY
NEAL M. WARREN AND ADAM LIZAKOWSKI
OUTSKIRTSPREES
DENVER COLORADO, 2013.
