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Poetry From Hell
Nov. 21st, 2024 04:49 pmBag Person Press Collective, eds., 2012, Lady Poetesses From Hell, Bag Person Press
(3149 Park Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55407), ISBN 978 0 615 63192 9, 116 pages, perfect-bound paperback, $10+$3.50 S&H.
62 poems from what must be the most decorated group of genre poets that has ever existed: need I say more? Like the fact that it includes my favorite SF poem of all time? “Who are these people,” you might wonder. Well, they are: Eleanor Arnason, Ruth Berman, Terry A. Garey, Jane R. Hansen, Ellen Klages, Rebecca Marjesdatter, K. C. O'Malley, John Calvin Rezmersky [honorary], Grace Lord Stoke, Cathy Tenzo, Laurel Winter, and Jane Yolen. Just quoting a bit from each contributor to this tour de force would make for a long review. The contributions of each poet are so varied, and the poets so diverse, that what follows is like a one-pass visit to a smorgasbord. The book is structured as if it were a series of six readings. This group has done many collective readings, in which each poet presented a poem or two. In fact, that is what they do together, primarily. Lady Poetesses from Hell is like a transcript of six of those readings.
From “Advanced Decomposition,” by Laurel Winter
the fact that you
no longer have to shave your legs
is small consolation
There is humor in many of these poems, although by no means all of them. Most use humor to deal with serious issues, like death, or the death of love, or abusive relationships. Winter's poems are so funny that you almost don't notice the subject matter is often truly horrible. That may be an exaggeration. You can't help but notice, you just don't mind as much. This poem did not win the Rhysling award, but another of hers, also included in this volume, did.
From “Vampires on a Bed of Wild Rice (with just a hint of thyme),” by Rebecca Marjesdatter
They buy me appetizer plates and double-chocolate tortes,
watch with glittering eyes while I eat,
trying to remember what food is like.
Goddamn vampires, making me fat.
Marjesdatter has contributed several extremely different poems to this volume. Quoting from one is necessarily misleading. Nevertheless, that is exactly what I am doing. Again, not a Rhysling winner, but a Rhysling winner by the same author is printed in this volume.
From “Where My Ass Is,” by Terry A. Garey)
on the face of it I know better, really
but these cheeks just keep getting out of control
enticing, batting their eyelashes at the damndest times
like when I’m on a really serious subject, y’know?
and my chest, and my legs and my hair and my nose
and the rough spots on my elbows—mighod
it’s overwhelming what my body says
when I’m not listening
This poem did not win the Rhysling award, but another one by the same author, in this book, did. This poem is full of puns, and other kinds of humor. It also seems to be on a serious subject. I suppose the layers of meaning are obvious when even I can see them, but you should check it out to see how many I missed!
From “Potatoes of the Tree,” by Ruth Berman
If apples had been New World only
And potatoes everywhere in the Old
The sin would’ve been taking the fruit
Of the earth,
…
Adam and Eve would’ve been caught out
Stitching jackets for themselves.
God would’ve known they were lying
Berman is also a Rhysling winner, and it wasn't with this poem (see this same volume). Many of you have already seen the Rhysling winning poems by these poets. If you have not, that's one more reason to buy this book. As for this offering, you don't see too many alternate worlds poems, and this is one of my favorites.
From “Rapture Time,” by Eleanor Arnason
Some lose their stockings
And some lose their shoes
As they leave behind humanists,
Moslems and Jews
To fly with the angels
And dance ’round the Throne;
And we’ll say “Thank God,”
When we know they are gone.
Arnason has several vastly different poems in Lady Poetesses from Hell. This is also one of the very few poems in the book that rhymes. If I recall correctly, it is also the only religious one, but I might be mistaken.
From “chevy, chased: auto erotica,” by Cathy Tenzo
i fell madly in love with you
the first time we met
but i couldn’t show you how i felt
in that crowded room
She continues in this vein through the whole poem. It's a pretty traditional sentiment, but not usually expressed in exactly this way. Which of course just makes this example that much better. In fact, one of the themes of this book is the old taking something familiar and turning it on its head trick. It is not always taking something masculine and making it feminine, although there is plenty of that. Reversal is the meat and potatoes of many kinds of humor, and the lady poetesses are experts at it. As far as I know they still perform readings, primarily at science fiction conventions in the north-central part of the United States. If you can't make a reading, or even if you can, I strongly recommend you buy this book. It will make you laugh out loud, and not just a few times.
(3149 Park Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55407), ISBN 978 0 615 63192 9, 116 pages, perfect-bound paperback, $10+$3.50 S&H.
62 poems from what must be the most decorated group of genre poets that has ever existed: need I say more? Like the fact that it includes my favorite SF poem of all time? “Who are these people,” you might wonder. Well, they are: Eleanor Arnason, Ruth Berman, Terry A. Garey, Jane R. Hansen, Ellen Klages, Rebecca Marjesdatter, K. C. O'Malley, John Calvin Rezmersky [honorary], Grace Lord Stoke, Cathy Tenzo, Laurel Winter, and Jane Yolen. Just quoting a bit from each contributor to this tour de force would make for a long review. The contributions of each poet are so varied, and the poets so diverse, that what follows is like a one-pass visit to a smorgasbord. The book is structured as if it were a series of six readings. This group has done many collective readings, in which each poet presented a poem or two. In fact, that is what they do together, primarily. Lady Poetesses from Hell is like a transcript of six of those readings.
From “Advanced Decomposition,” by Laurel Winter
the fact that you
no longer have to shave your legs
is small consolation
There is humor in many of these poems, although by no means all of them. Most use humor to deal with serious issues, like death, or the death of love, or abusive relationships. Winter's poems are so funny that you almost don't notice the subject matter is often truly horrible. That may be an exaggeration. You can't help but notice, you just don't mind as much. This poem did not win the Rhysling award, but another of hers, also included in this volume, did.
From “Vampires on a Bed of Wild Rice (with just a hint of thyme),” by Rebecca Marjesdatter
They buy me appetizer plates and double-chocolate tortes,
watch with glittering eyes while I eat,
trying to remember what food is like.
Goddamn vampires, making me fat.
Marjesdatter has contributed several extremely different poems to this volume. Quoting from one is necessarily misleading. Nevertheless, that is exactly what I am doing. Again, not a Rhysling winner, but a Rhysling winner by the same author is printed in this volume.
From “Where My Ass Is,” by Terry A. Garey)
on the face of it I know better, really
but these cheeks just keep getting out of control
enticing, batting their eyelashes at the damndest times
like when I’m on a really serious subject, y’know?
and my chest, and my legs and my hair and my nose
and the rough spots on my elbows—mighod
it’s overwhelming what my body says
when I’m not listening
This poem did not win the Rhysling award, but another one by the same author, in this book, did. This poem is full of puns, and other kinds of humor. It also seems to be on a serious subject. I suppose the layers of meaning are obvious when even I can see them, but you should check it out to see how many I missed!
From “Potatoes of the Tree,” by Ruth Berman
If apples had been New World only
And potatoes everywhere in the Old
The sin would’ve been taking the fruit
Of the earth,
…
Adam and Eve would’ve been caught out
Stitching jackets for themselves.
God would’ve known they were lying
Berman is also a Rhysling winner, and it wasn't with this poem (see this same volume). Many of you have already seen the Rhysling winning poems by these poets. If you have not, that's one more reason to buy this book. As for this offering, you don't see too many alternate worlds poems, and this is one of my favorites.
From “Rapture Time,” by Eleanor Arnason
Some lose their stockings
And some lose their shoes
As they leave behind humanists,
Moslems and Jews
To fly with the angels
And dance ’round the Throne;
And we’ll say “Thank God,”
When we know they are gone.
Arnason has several vastly different poems in Lady Poetesses from Hell. This is also one of the very few poems in the book that rhymes. If I recall correctly, it is also the only religious one, but I might be mistaken.
From “chevy, chased: auto erotica,” by Cathy Tenzo
i fell madly in love with you
the first time we met
but i couldn’t show you how i felt
in that crowded room
She continues in this vein through the whole poem. It's a pretty traditional sentiment, but not usually expressed in exactly this way. Which of course just makes this example that much better. In fact, one of the themes of this book is the old taking something familiar and turning it on its head trick. It is not always taking something masculine and making it feminine, although there is plenty of that. Reversal is the meat and potatoes of many kinds of humor, and the lady poetesses are experts at it. As far as I know they still perform readings, primarily at science fiction conventions in the north-central part of the United States. If you can't make a reading, or even if you can, I strongly recommend you buy this book. It will make you laugh out loud, and not just a few times.
