Some comments about
Moonman from the critics:
World Parade Books’
release of
Moonman: New and Selected
Poems may at long last bring Snider the wider
visibility he
deserves. . . . Organized chronologically,
Moonman traces Snider’s fluid
movement from one idiom to another:
restrained poems in traditional forms; intellectual
utterances that
demonstrate his awareness of Western
and Eastern philosophical systems; chatty,
casual poems that respond to
aspects of popular
culture; and, most impressively, concise
and memorable imagist verse. .
. . [In
Edwin: A Character in Poems]
the persona functions
as an effective objective correlative whose dual
obsessions with thought and body
echo a whole generation of gay men. . . . [Other poems] are lit with a
delirious, visionary glow.
--
Tony Leuzzi, in
Lambda
Literary.
Leuzzi is the author of
Radiant
Losses
and
Passwords Primeval,
a collection his interviews with twenty
American poets.
Moonman (New and Selected Poems)
the magnificent collection of poetry by Clifton Snider further cements
his greatness in the modern literary canon. Excerpts from his
nine
published volumes of poetry are
supplemented by
new and uncollected
work. This is truly an amazing book. I can think of
no other poet,
living or dead, with the emotional and technical range of Snider.
Whether he’s drawing a character in
verse, lamenting the death of his dear
cat, talking about the war
in the Gulf, he treats each
subject with a
profound respect and a depth of feeling that one
only finds in the
greatest writers.
--
Andrew Demcak,
Author of the poetry
collections,
Night Chant,
A Single Hurt Color,
Zero Summer,
Catching Tigers in Red Weather, and
the novel,
If There's A Heaven Above
In
Moonman: New and Selected
Poems,
Clifton Snider shares both the grace and horror that resides within
the intimate details of his life. His poetry illustrates his
hard-won memories and well-fought battles that may have been
lost, but were not
abandoned. Snider's manner of writing
is raw and vulnerable, yet elegant in a way that is harshly
satisfying.
Moonman
presents both the salvation
and turmoil wrought by Snider's confrontations with
religion, sexuality, family, and sobriety. . . . Snider writes as if
devulging his secrets
to a lifelong friend who may either embrace him or abandon him.
Snider braves this uncertain outcome because bearing his blemished
heart is the duty of the poet.
--Meghan Perkins, in
Small Press Review
Moonman is a gentle giant, a
career-spanning collection of necessary
poetry that is meditative and healing. Snider, a master observer,
offers us poems on the natural world, social and cultural climate,
love, loss, illness, and death. Through it all, his voice serves as
spirit guide—examining human experience, he takes us on a journey of
both great pain and joy, while reminding us there is celebration in
living.
--Eric Morago in
Poetix
Moonman: New and Selected
Poems "encompasses just about every poem ever written by one of
the most magnificent and prolific poets of our time, Clifton Snider’s
Moonman: New and Selected Poems
takes you on a journey through life with a . . . unique style that
unfolds and refolds, disintegrates and rematerializes before your
eyes. In this career long collection one finds an evolution of a
man, that thanks to World Parade Books, can be read all in one easy
handheld volume. . . . [Snider's] work is vivid and bright, even when
addressing the not so shiny parts."
--
Cadence
Collective
Clifton Snider's
Moonman: New and
Selected Poems is
a very engaging collection of poetry that details gay
life, the
American Southwest, Scandinavia and and
other parts of northern Europe
(such as Germany
and
Holland), American literature (such as Billy Budd), non-Western
religion and a host of
other subjects. Readers will delight in
Clifton's use of precise verbs, the timing of
his phrases and
his
descriptive powers. Even more
impressive are the moving endings of many
of his
poems. His poems about family fall into this category. "Sonnet for My
Mother," "My Father's
Hands"
and the poem "Holocaust"--written about a
distant Norwegian cousin--are poignant
because of their
subject matter,
their tone and their insights.
[World] Parade Books should
be proud to
have published this
volume.
--
Austin
Alexis, Author of
Lovers
and Drag Queens and
For
Lincoln and Other Poems
I've known Snider's work
for 40 years now and he's still at the top of his game. This massive
retrospective is a great introduction to the work of a man who shoots
straight, first, last and always.
--
John
Yamrus, Author of
They Never
Told Me
This Would Happen and
Can't
Stop Now!
Here is an impressive collection of personal poetry, a retrospective of
the author's life from the 1970's to 2010. Snider's work, both earlier
and recent, bares an open heart and keen eye for vivid imagery and
careful observation. The book is filled with sparkling close-ups on
people ("Six Weeks"), locations ("El Nino"), politics ("You Tell Me")
and mantras. His numerous love poems are a mature mix of sex and
spiritual awakening, like in the title piece "Moonman", with "two
lovers at a drive-in movie "and a prayer plant whose spotted leaves
"open for the muted light of day" and close together "for the cool
light of the moon." In this generous soul-venture, Snider invites
everyone along for the deep ride.
--
Davida Singer, Author of
Shelter Island and
Port of Call
Sarah Miller hosts a
reading in an art studio (Exhibit [A], 555 Pine Ave., Long Beach, CA)
and we were surrounded by
paintings as we listened to Clifton
Snider
read from his new book,
Moonman
from World
Parade Books
[on 10 August 2012].
Was there ever a point in
your life when you enjoyed a poem? If the answer is yes, read his
book.
He is one of the
best poets I've known
in real life. And if you don't
like poetry because it's
esoteric and
downright
weird, read his book.
It's accessible and
powerful. You'll love it.
--
John
Brantingham, anthor of
East of
Los Angeles (poems) and
Mann
of War (fiction), in his blog,
John
Brantingham: A
Mystery Writer's Quest
to Master Small
Press Promotion
Visit
Clifton
Snider's Facebook page and friend him and like his page on
Moonman.
Home page.
Poetry page.
Page last revised: 22 April 2016