50 American Plays

by Michael Dickman, Matthew Dickman

"Their verse . . . is strikingly different. Michael's poems are interior, fragmentary, and austere, often stripped down to single-word lines; they seethe with incipient violence. Matthew's are effusive, ecstatic, and all-embracing, spilling over with pop-cultural references and exuberant carnality." —The New Yorker

Identical twins Michael and Matthew Dickman once invented their own language. Now they have invented an exhilarating book of poem-plays about the fifty states. Pointed, comic, and surreal, these one-page vignettes feature unusual staging and an eclectic cast of characters—landforms, lobsters, and historical figures including Duke Ellington, Sacajawea, Judy Garland, and Kenneth Koch, the avant-garde spirit informing this book introduced by playwright John Guare.

"Lucky in Kansas"

Judy Garland: This is always the worst part
Tin Man: The coming back
Judy Garland: Yes, it fucking sucks, it's depressing as shit
The Lion: Well, we're lucky to still be employed at this farm
Straw Man: I wouldn't call it lucky
The Lion: We were lucky to get back
Straw Man: That's not really lucky either I don't think you know what lucky means
Judy Garland: It's funny what you miss
Tin Man: The running
Judy Garland: The flying
Tin Man: The flying monkeys
Judy Garland: The beautiful flying monkeys above the endless emeralds the unbelievably green world

Michael Dickman and Matthew Dickman are identical twins who were born and raised in Portland, Oregon. Michael received the 2010 James Laughlin Award for his second collection Flies (Copper Canyon Press, 2011). Matthew won the prestigious APR/Honickman Award for his debut volume, All-American Poem.

Genres: Poetry, Plays, Drama

110 pages, Paperback

First published April 10, 2012

Reviews

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the collaboration between brothers Matthew and Michael. Koch, Hamlet, a bit of history are a couple of the little threads in these short poems. Gives them a connection larger than just the alphabetical treatment of 50 states. But it's really about a glimpse, a snapshot, the Dickmans' perspective of those states. I was surprised to see the inclusion of Guam and Puerto Rico. Happily so, since "Puerto Rico" is marvelous:

The Minor League Sonnets of Puerto Rico

(four batters approach the plate)

BATTER 1:
It's not the Screwball, the Knuckleball, or the Slider
that spills my heart all over the diamond
but the jet fighters
imitating Ancient Mayans

BATTER 2:
You're out!
You're out!
You're out!

BATTER 3:
It's not the Splitter, the Slurve, or the Two-seam Fastball
that has me rushing the pitcher
but the palm trees calling
my name: no hitter, no hitter

BATTER 4:
You're still out!
You're still out!
You're still out!

Favorites are: "West Virginia Odyssey"
"The Haiku Poets of Pennsylvania"
"The Past in Massachussets"
"Punchy in Kentucky"

I'm originally from California. "Swimming Pools of California" is just one of a billion California realities. This is spot on:

Swimming Pools of California

(California light comes waltzing in across the swimming pool)

A YOUNG MAN.
I'd like a little something to brighten up my drink

A YOUNG WOMAN.
Maybe an ice cube would you like an ice cube?

A YOUNG MAN.
That sounds great

A YOUNG WOMAN.
And maybe a twist of lemon?

A YOUNG MAN.
Yes a twist of lemon and a splash more vodka

A YOUNG WOMAN.
A splash more vodka

A YOUNG MAN.
You better make it a couple more splashes

A YOUNG WOMAN.
A couple three or four splashes and ice and a twist
of lemon

A YOUNG MAN.
A lemon from our very own tree

A YOUNG WOMAN.
We grow our lemons for just this very thing

Just pure poetic fun.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Laid up sick today and breezed through this idiosyncratic collection thrice. The form is unique as far as I know: poems masquerading as plays, the lines rendering both stage directions and dialogue. Other reviewers insist you can tell which of the twin authors wrote each poem is you know their other work. If that's the case, I prefer the one who wrote the two aching poems by "inanimate" narrators (one from a lonely bus stop in New Hampshire, the other from snow lacings trapped between fence posts with an understandable fear of drowning). There's an irreverence here that's at times too glib, but the poems that do work here--and there are many--are well worth the time it takes to spin through this brief collection. The set of Hamlet poems (all of which imagine Kenneth Koch directing or starring in or performing in drag in Hamlet) are always entertaining and occasionally Important (see that capital I?) I'd be remiss if I didn't include the brief and hella disturbing poem for my home state:

"Kenneth Koch Plays Gertrude in Texas"

(Koch as Gertrude is tied to the back of a pickup truck)

KOCH.
What are you doing?

HAMLET.
Scaring you.

(Very loud wind through the live oaks.)

[Alison · Rating 2 out of 5]

To be completely honest, I'm really disappointed that I spent money on this book. Mayakovsky's Revolver is basically my favorite poetry book, but this book is terribly boring and uninspired. I really just don't get it.

[Christine · Rating 1 out of 5]

Every definition of the word conceit, including all the obsolete ones, is here

[Andrei Mocuţa · Rating 4 out of 5]

50 de piese de teatru foarte scurte, scrise în versuri, de frații Dickman.
Teoretic: poeme dramatice. Practic: niște poante poetice la care râzi sau nu te prinzi.

[Will · Rating 2 out of 5]

This breezy collection of poetry turned into undramatic vignettes started as a a performance, and I felt it lost something when set to type. As more of a fan of Matthew than Michael, my favorite state plays were those that were more sentimental and personal than oblique and ephemeral--qualities that seemed to take precedence in this book.

[Benjamin Niespodziany · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is wild and exactly what I needed to read. I'm working on scenes and dialogue (albeit surreal and abstract) and this one hit the spot as a resource into absurdism and collaboration. Excited to read the solo work of these two brothers.

[Eric · Rating 3 out of 5]

Poet brothers Matthew and Michael Dickman run through each of the 50 states with a short poem/play specific in some way to each unique land(mostly). A less ambitious Sufjan Stevens foray, these tidbits are full of fun and weird dialogue and references I don't understand (who the hell is Kenneth Koch?). Some states seem more glossed over than others. Fans of either poet should take a look.

[Holly Raymond · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading Tan Lin made me really want to go to a plain old Barnes & Noble, so I walked to Rittenhouse Square and read this little collection. It was all right Very apposite in its gestures towards Kenneth Koch.

[Tonia Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I road trip across modern America, I will take this book with me. Clever, told with a little love and a great deal of transparency. Not my favorite collection of contemporary poetry, but not one I will soon forget.

[Sebastian · Rating 3 out of 5]

First read: May 27, 2012

[Bjorn Sorensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Goofiness abounds so far, I love the pseudo irreverence. Let's see if it stays comprehensible enough for me to enjoy more fully.

[Kent · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hello to frivolity!

[Greg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Florida was my favorite.

[Philip Shaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

I heart these men of words and thoughts.

[Tasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oregon's poem was my favorite.

[daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

COLORADO IS A SPORTSMAN'S PARADISE

(many mountains)

A HIKER.
could you move that a little to the left?

A MOUNTAIN.
things are happening.

(fewer mountains)

[Ian · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm not quite sure why I bothered. It was exactly like I thought it would be.