Isn't It Romantic...

Verse Press published a very good anthology of poetry on Valentine's Day. Called Isn't It Romantic: 100 Love Poems by Younger American Poets the book is a nice overview of how much good writing there is being produced by folks born after 1964. You may or may not be a fan of the written word and may, I imagine, be wondering what I'm doing talking about poetry when you're hear to get hep to the indie rock music. Well, the fabulous bonus being offered by said book is that it comes with a CD of 20 love songs by some of alt-rocks luminaries. I'm talking Richard Buckner, Doug Martsch, Silver Jews, Jenny Toomey, Vic Chestnutt, Magnolia Electric Co. and others (sorry I sprained my thumb playing basketball and can't type hyperlinks for all those folks). It's a really lovely collection of songs and there are a few rarities here that make it particularly worth while.

Jeff Tweedy doesn't contribute any music but he does give us this poem:

Prayer #3

I have pondered
the long unpublished poems
of someone's only son
that dead laugh
spun over stone
where french kissed teenaged girls blush
and flash teasing tooth-pouts
lasting moments less
than real hope stirring
symphonic shouts
again slack
in service of dread,
mocked continents drifting
stems already shooting
across time's seamlessness
I have enjoyed these hours more
with you not by my side

2 songs from the audio CD included with Isn't It Romantic: 100 Love Poems by Younger American Poets:

Vic Chestnutt - In My Way, Yes

Ray's Vast Basement - She Is My Diary

Follow the links on Verse Press to purchase.

P.S. I hope you appreciate how hard it is to type with out a functioning thumb.