Alien Phonics Primer

by Darrell Epp

As dark forces make meaningful communication increasingly treacherous, no surrealist survivalist tool kit is complete without an alien phonics primer. Darrell Epp's sixth poetry collection is a deep sea diver, dredging up skeleton keys and Plan B's, hinting at a world where "everything's an explosion and everything's a song."

190 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 30, 2024

About the author

author of imaginary maps (2009), after hours (2016)

Reviews

[Marshall A. Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had the privilege of meeting Darrell and hearing him read at a local event. Part of my enjoyment of the book was definitely the experience of hearing Darrell’s unique delivery while reading them. The style of the poems is a fun, sometimes almost sporadic rambling, with a rhythm and length that makes the experience reading this collection feel paced and consistent. I picked up on themes of modern frustration and playful observation, told with a balance between hope and despair that resonated frequently.

My favourite poems in this collection were:

That’s not a piñata, that’s a hornets’ nest
The law of erosion
The teardrop collector appreciate your business
Rocket surgery, not brain science
Acorn at the bus stop
Tornado climbing a ladder
Shaking hands with the Big Dipper
Amoebozoa Orchestra
Downtown’s a treacherous imp spinning gold into Velcro
Parking lot theophany
Motivational seminar at ground zero
If I had a car
T-minus whenever
Vampires in literature

[Peter Damon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Upon first reading these poems you may start to wonder if your significant other slipped some acid into your drink when you weren’t looking. Don’t worry! Because upon further reading you’ll begin to notice a thread of continuity in each one of Epp’s hypnotic, pop-surrealist, stream-of-madness incantations. A nostalgic mix of late-20th century pop-culture, neurotic ramblings, and dare I say blue-collar sensibility are crammed into in each poem. Underneath it all there’s a meaning that comes through that will probably resonate most with Gen X-ers and early millennials. Just don’t ask any of us to translate the message for you. You’ll had to have been there to understand and besides; some things are just better left undefined.

[Elizabeth Crowens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent and entertaining example of #sciencefiction #syfy #poetry.