Flowers of Anti-Martyrdom

by Dorian Geisler

Dorian Geisler's beguiling debut collection of poetry solves the problems of audacity―with audacity. A darkly uncanny romp through the lives of others, Geisler's fast-moving poetry and understated/maximalist aesthetic manage to convey a burgeoning world filled with strangers whose identities are playfully―sometimes diabolically―half-revealed.

Flowers of Anti-Martyrdom is Kafka mixed with Tarantino; it's Invisible Cities ―except instead of beautiful, imaginary cities, the poet introduces us to disconcertingly realistic humans in all their outlandish, casual perversity, exalted banality, and moral questionability.

With Flowers , Geisler has written a collection that's open to as many readings as there are readers―and yet that's always a genuine, unambiguous delight.

Genres: Poetry

80 pages, Hardcover

Published August 8, 2017

Reviews

[Bud Smith]

Reminded me of one of my favorite books, Murder by Jane Liddle, in that it took flawed humans and set them loose in the mousetrap board game that is the absurdity of existence. Clever poems, that fill you with helium so you float up towards the clouds.

[C. Varn]

Dorian Geisler's style here will be polarizing and so far reviews reflect that. The lines are pithy but are very prosaic. This would normally be a complicating factor but Giesler seems to do well in the thin line between long-line poetry and prose poems. The is flirting with both understatement and maximalism where the juxtaposition creates a humorous tone about often dark or complicated topics. Despite this complicated but somehow still light tone, there is a significant interrogation of American identity here.

[Nick Mehalick]

Geisler’s “Flowers of Anti-Martyrdom” is a rare book in that it is filled with characters you know and yet have somehow never met. By this I mean that they are archetypes and personas encompassing and representing the vast scope of humanity we encounter and exist as each day, except as reflections and glimmers, melody’s that color our lives. Yet Geisler punctuates these with moments that are made to stop you and remind the reader that this is a poem and it will do what poetry is meant to. One of my favorite examples of this comes at the end of a poem about a man named Fred. It ends, “Thinking about Fred’s grief now (for those of use who don’t know Fred) is like looking at a diamond, in a lawn chair on top of a mine.” A rarity, for sure.

[Tena]

Well, my "Boredom Detector" didn't beep. I'm not sure if this poetry was actually justified but I am positive that Dorian Geisler has a pet iguana. (yes, an inside reference: read the damn book!) My gratitude, and a tiny curse, to McSweeney's Books for this GOODREADS giveaway.

[Joy]

I didn't like any of these poems!

[Annette Boehm]

A book full of smart, darkly funny poetry.
For an in-depth review, check my book blog: https://outsideofacat.wordpress.com/2... :)

[Paul]

Fun, funny and light!

[Kit]

A classic "I'm Writing For McSweeney's" volume of sparse poetry equivalent to the LaCroix of Vonnegut fan flavor writers.

[Gayle Slagle]

Flowers of Anti-Martyrdom is a book of poetry by Dorian Geisler that addresses the simple things in life in a complex way. Each poem is brief, understated, and minimalist, yet they strike at the heart of what makes people human. If you are a lover of poetry, Flowers of Anti-Martyrdom is worthy of your time.