Here and Elsewhere: Poetic Cul de Sac

by Raymond Federman

This book brings together fifty years of poetry in a small volume--an autobiography in poetry of Raymond Federman, from losing his family in the Holocaust, coming to America, and finding himself as a writer.

78 pages, Paperback

First published May 7, 2003

About the author

Raymond Federman was a French–American novelist and academic, known also for poetry, essays, translations, and criticism. He held positions at the University at Buffalo from 1973 to 1999, when he was appointed Distinguished Emeritus Professor. Federman was a writer in the experimental style, one that sought to deconstruct traditional prose. This type of writing is quite prevalent in his book Double or Nothing, in which the linear narrative of the story has been broken down and restructured so as to be nearly incoherent. Words are also often arranged on pages to resemble images or to suggest repetitious themes.

Reviews

[Nathan "N.R." Gaddis]

Federman poetry. To supplement his prose. Several classics in this volume. Not too bad either, speaking as more of a prose guy. I mean to say, I don’t know if they’re great poetry, but Federmanites might want to see how he treats his Story in poetic forms.



Here’s a poem from Ray ::


final escape

how will it happen
the final exitus
will it be violent
will it hurt
or will it be quiet
full of silence
will the sordid images
that have haunted us
be suddenly erased
or will they be replayed
endlessly replayed
in virtual reality
will we fall
or will we rise
or simply pass through
as one goes through
an open door
to enter a room
perhaps it will be
an escape
another escape
from the little box
where it all started
among empty skins
but this time it will be
the final escape
from the great cunt
of existence
and this time
without any gurgling
will the stolen sugar be
as sweet as the first time
and what of the moon
tiptoeing on the roof
will she smile upon us
or remain indifferent
will there be words
left to describe what
is taking place
words and silences
or will there be only
cries and whispers


You can find more @:
http://raymondfederman.blogspot.co.uk/