JAM>

by Paul Siegell

poetry. "this is, among other things, a short study in some ways of using the printed page. to the extent where the font size had to be kept small enough not to fuck with the formatting. this is an extended jam-session ranging from WCW-spoofs to political rage. this feels like improvisation but a closer look reveals that it's not. this is"

Genres: Poetry

Electronic Chapbook

First published September 1, 2008

About the author

PAUL SIEGELL is Pennsylvania's 2021 Montgomery County Poet Laureate and the author of Take Out Delivery: Poems & Comics (Spuyten Duyvil, 2018), wild life rifle fire (Otoliths Books, 2010), jambandbootleg (A-Head Publishing, 2009), and Poemergency Room (Otoliths Books, 2008)

He is an award-winning creative director at The Philadelphia Inquirer and was a senior editor at Painted Bride Quarterly from 2007-2019. In 2015, his work was selected for the Pennsylvania’s Center for the Book’s Public Poetry Project. A Pushcart Prize nominee, Paul has contributed to 5AM, American Poetry Review, Black Warrior Review, Coconut, Rattle, and many other fine journals.

Kindly find more of Paul's work at ReVeLeR @ eYeLeVeL . Thank you!

Reviews

[Chrissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I'm in no way competent to review the poetry itself, I can say that this collection is something that I will pick up again and again, to keep finding different things in the text and different views based on the quick images so expertly flicked into existence.

[Marzi Margo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eliot, cummings, Yeats--These are the innovators of poetry, those who were willing to redefine language, prosody, form, and function, then accept the societal consequences. Nowadays many poets do nothing but follow in the footsteps of literature's modernist and postmodernist forefathers, and it is scarce to come across someone who presents poetry in a new, refreshing manner anymore. Paul Siegell may be one such poet.

"JAM>" is a brief chapbook of approximately 11 poems, but despite the compactness of the collection, these poems nonetheless pack quite a bit of power. Take for example any of the "set poems" in which the poetics of literature and music combine to place the reader at the front row (and/or backstage) of an historical concert that probably very few people were actually able to witness. Also, rather than simply attempting to copy the styles of the greats such as William Carlos Williams, Siegell pays full tribute to them with copy-changes that only further exemplify how passionate the author is about poetry. Whether the shapes, syntax, fonts, and formats are commenting on the youth culture of the present or reflecting on the pop culture of the past, Paul Siegell's "JAM>" grasps the reader firmly and confidently, assuring that the spirit of poetry is indeed still alive and well.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whew!

Never read a poem as innovative as "EPIcureANS PAY for FeeLINGS" : "I'll crack & marry Juan, that great/nEEdling ass of an/id," "That Nick Half 'the teen'"

This poet is always on! He never comes with some stale, unimaginative poem that just sits on the page and does nothing for you. These poems move on the page and they move me.

"THE AFTERNOON SET OF 12.31.99" - man I wish I was there! But I _am_ there! Paul Siegell brings "the set" to me!
Just read it and you'll see what I mean. The poem "…starts in the lobby of a … hotel, like I'm there for a
convention or thumthin" and then it moves outside, "Lounging on/the folding chair/of the good
morning," and oh how it builds from there with excitement and it's all atmosphere and sounds and
crowds and I want to be there, "[stepping] in [s---]," and hanging out with Samson and Suzy.

There is never a dull moment, not even in the shorter poems like "The Winged Minute" and "The Read
Wheelborrow" both modeled on William Carlos Williams' poems.

But the poem in which the book is named after (JAM>) steals the show! Even though THE AFTERNOON
SET OF 12.31.99 is a hard act to follow. Ah, Just read it!

[Paul Siegell · Rating 5 out of 5]

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Poems in this e-chap were published in 5AM, Kulture Vulture, MiPOesias, Otoliths, SAWBUCK, Shampoo, Three Rivers Review.

Thanks for checking it out!

[Steven · Rating 4 out of 5]

In spite of the many Phish references, I love how Siegell really pushes it, and plays with spacing so his poems really orchestrate and emote all over the page.

[Nina · Rating 4 out of 5]

The layout of the work in this chap is interesting-I enjoy the connection between the poems and the visual aspect.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Paul has a unique and most awesome way of transforming his view of the moment whether it be some mundane activity or the most raging piece of music into his own beautiful work of art. I dig it.