Cemetery Nights

by Stephen Dobyns

Poetry

Genres: Poetry, Humor, Literary Fiction

99 pages, Paperback

First published January 6, 1987

About the author

Dobyns was raised in New Jersey, Michigan, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. He was educated at Shimer College, graduated from Wayne State University, and received an MFA from the Iowa Writers' Workshop at the University of Iowa in 1967. He has worked as a reporter for the Detroit News.

He has taught at various academic institutions, including Sarah Lawrence College, the Warren Wilson College MFA Program for Writers, the University of Iowa, Syracuse University, and Boston University.

In much of his poetry and some works of non-genre fiction, Dobyns employs extended tropes, using the ridiculous and the absurd as vehicles to introduce more profound meditations on life, love, and art. He shies neither from the low nor from the sublime, and all in a straightforward narrative voice of reason. His journalistic training has strongly informed this voice.

Reviews

[Thomas Zimmerman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Discovering the poetry of Stephen Dobyns is one of the best things I ever got out of reading Stephen King. In King's novel Insomnia there's a character who loves poetry, and talks about Cemetery Nights. The description of story poems sounded down my alley, so I sought it out. Now Dobyns is my favorite poet. For a taste of his affecting story verses, check out Tomatoes
http://memoryanddesire.typepad.com/bl...
Chilling, eh?
His poem Querencia, about a bullfight, breaks my heart every time I read it.

[Cynthia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve appreciated this author’s ability to string rich vocabulary together in meaningful ways for many years, having first read his work in the form of a suspense novel over twenty years ago. I did not know he also wrote poetry until I met my now husband, who shared the poem Spider Web from this collection on Facebook a few years ago. I was instantly mesmerized by the thought-provoking piece and hungry for more, though obtaining a reasonably priced copy of this out-of-print collection proved challenging! Through a stroke of luck, I did finally snag one for seven dollars and some change on eBay.

Stephen Dobyns’ poetry feels a lot like a collection of very short stories filled with wry humor provoking thought on the darkness and frailty of humankind. The poems are quite dense and not something you should (or could) rush through. There were several in this collection that I absolutely loved, many that I liked, and a few that I didn’t care for at all. Overall, reading this confirmed for me that Dobyns is truly a brilliant writer.

If you aren’t familiar with his work, you can find some of his poems easily through Google. I do not know if all of these are public domain but I’ll share the titles of my favorites from this collection, in case you want to look into them: Spider Web, The Invitation, Learning to Think, Words We Have Spoken, Ebb Tide, Wrong Gods, Pursuit, Waking, and Querencia.

If you’re a poetry lover, philosophically minded, or simply looking for a more impactful read, I highly recommend checking out the poetry of Stephen Dobyns.

[Keef · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most modern poetry is drivel, but I love this. Deeply depressing, truthful, and wry, Dobyns manages to capture the feeling of looking up at the ceiling late at night and wondering what the hell it's all about.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, aside from the fact that this felt slightly dated as I read it, the poems were very good. Dobyns' poetry is meaty and reads like a dark story, and that was enjoyable. I think my favourites had to be "Tomatoes," "Faces," and "Spiritual Chickens."

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

God, I love this book. Especially the dog/sandwich/angst poem, which has to be my favorite poem ever, even if it is a poem with a dog in it. Here's to Dobyns, his swirling Wild Turkey, his brutal beautiful honesty, and even his classic derisive gaze, which seems hardly capable of mealy mouthed pretension or patronage--a relief if you're exhausted by odes to, celebrations of, glory to, etc. etc. Oh yeah, there are the painting poems. But those are in another book, I think...and a guy has got to sell, right? Poetry's a tough market for the forthright. This book is Dobyns' best...well, I haven't read MYSTERY, SO LONG yet, or any of his fiction, but I'm sure I will be reading MYSTERY at the soonest available moment. Hopefully, no painting poems.

[Bob · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dobyns reminds me of another "Stephen" who is known for both his poetry and proses, namely Stephen Crane. They both explore the cynicism of life without apology and without being overly dramatic. Crane would be deeply intrigued by titles such as "The Nihilist." Dobyns' prose-like style is simply effortless to navigate, immediately allowing the reader to be engrossed in the poems. Many of the poems read like fables with one of my favorites being "Short Rides." Surprisingly I have no quotes to add to this review because I would have to borrow lines from each of the works in this collection!

[Donald Armfield · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've heard people say the roots of poetry was to tell a story and that's what Dobyns does. I find the humor in his lines with sometimes the punchline saying that's what it is. Overall this collection is entertaining.

Favorites

-How To Like It
-Charity
-Street Corner Romance
-Amazing Story

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am NOT a poetry person. It is an art form that moves me rarely. Shakespeare befuddles me. As much as I like Poe, few of his poems really reach me.

THIS, however, was the only book of poetry that I can say I enjoyed very much. And not just a little, but a lot. I'm sorry I haven't read more of his work since. He is a bucket list author and poet I hope to explore more fully in the future.

[Masked · Rating 5 out of 5]

"these are the first days of fall. the wind
at evening smells of roads still to be traveled,
while the sound of leaves blowing across the lawns
is like an unsettled feeling in the blood,
the desire to get in a car and just keep driving."

it keeps going. there's a dog.

[Leif Erik · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the only book of poetry that I love. I generally don't care for poetry, and there is a fair amount that I like alright. But this one is it. I don't bother recommending to people anymore because I always way oversell it and inevitably there is disappointment on both sides.

[LemontreeLime · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this many years ago, and loved it then. I'm not sure how I would feel about it now. Will have to find it and reread it at some point here. (And yes I admit I also discovered Dobyns because of Stephen King.)

[Scott Holstad · Rating 1 out of 5]

I hate this book so much. Dobyns can write some good fiction, but as a poet, he's standard academic boring, pretentious crap. "Acceptable" to the academy, everything I hate about the poets and poetry the academy deems appropriate. Not recommended, unless you're a talentless English professor.

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite poem, "How To Like It", is contained within this excellent collection. Dobyns knows how to tell a good story in a poem. With him, it is always a complete idea.

[Tim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easily one of the best compilations of poetry you will ever read. It is essential reading for a Dobyns fan. If you're not a fan, you should be.

[Donald · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had not read this in well over a decade, and it was even better than I remembered. I’m going to have to reread all of his stuff :)

[Wayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dreamy and imaginative like the stories we wake from. Dobyns is always worth your time. Referenced by Stephen King in 'Insomnia' - story poems for readers who don't read poetry. Loved this...

[M. Langlinais · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my all-time favorite poetry books.

[Sky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ich mochte das größtenteils sehr dunkele theme der Gedichte, die teils sehr vulgär, teils sehr atmosphärisch waren. Einige Gedichte waren relatable, durch ihre abstrakte Beschreibung allgemeiner Lebensrealitäten und negativer Emotionen. Andere, welche explizite Lebenssituationen von meist alten Männern beschreiben, eher weniger. Wobei diese dadurch nicht schlechter wurden. Random fand ich die immer wieder auftauchenden Gedichte griechischer Mythologie.
Besonders hervor gestochen sind für mich "Warning", "Old House", "Wolves in the Streets" und natürlich "Pursuit"

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

First go at poetry. This left me so empty.

[Britt · Rating 5 out of 5]

yum.

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always a pleasure to read and re-read.