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Polytheogamy
Explore themes of sexuality, marriage, monogamy, and fidelity through a series of 64 lyric poems and 24 painting/sculptures Polytheogamy is the fifth installment in the Saturnalia Books Artist/Poet Collaboration series. Poet Timothy Liu and artist Greg Drasler explore themes of sexuality, marriage, monogamy, and fidelity through a series of 64 lyric poems and 24 painting/sculptures. Liu’s terse playful poems and Drasler’s sparse decorative spaces create a thrilling, sensual dance, playing off themes of “emptiness and fullness,” as renowned critic Charles Altieri explains in his introduction.
- GenresPoetry
100 pages, Paperback
First published March 31, 2009
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
February 18, 2013
Two Poems from Polytheogamy by Timothy Liu, paintings by Greg Drasler:
Straight Up
no matter who might
get the upper hand
over whom, having
put off disclosures
of the self, an instant
messenger lurking
in his pants at whose
expense was anyone's
guess, the martinis
coming way too fast
Doom Queens
My student who said he felt
so "Sylvia Plath" (winding up
on a stretcher heading towards
the morgue) was in my office
just hours before with his paper
in my lap, and I wanted him
to drop the course right there
instead of my getting stoned
on his weed, laughing aloud
about Anne Sexton sunk deep
into her drink, having been
denied her Guggie once again—
Straight Up
no matter who might
get the upper hand
over whom, having
put off disclosures
of the self, an instant
messenger lurking
in his pants at whose
expense was anyone's
guess, the martinis
coming way too fast
Doom Queens
My student who said he felt
so "Sylvia Plath" (winding up
on a stretcher heading towards
the morgue) was in my office
just hours before with his paper
in my lap, and I wanted him
to drop the course right there
instead of my getting stoned
on his weed, laughing aloud
about Anne Sexton sunk deep
into her drink, having been
denied her Guggie once again—
January 20, 2020
Despite the overly academic introduction, I fail to see the "point" of this book. I don't understand how the poet and painter collaborated. Yeah, I guess you can say that both have themes of "emptiness and fullness" but the images and poems don't have anything to do with each other. I didn't expect a literal illustration, but the juxtaposition is odd. I liked the paintings more than the poems, although even these weren't my style; technically well done with a retro feel, usually featuring patterns such as in wallpaper designs, a crowd of men wearing fedoras, or architectural details.
The poetry itself is not my cup of tea, either. The lines are spaced out and full of fragmented ideas, such as "The Invention" (p. 7):
There are many poems that reuse the same title ("The Marriage" and "Romance"). A lot of the poems objectify women, crassly describe sex, or hint at closeted homosexuality. Polytheogamy is one of those books that's so in love with the idea of itself that technique almost becomes irrelevant. I can kind of admire the author's bravado, but I don't admire the poetry itself.
the women were brought into the room, all naked
except for the hoods placed over their heads,
women who'd been instructed to bend
over far enough to grab hold of their ankles
with their assholes facing you, you wept
for you knew your wife was among them,
and you had to admit it was impossible
to tell which of those contorted trembling forms
was yours—
(from "The Room," p. 14)
Banned meat infected with mad-cow disease
on sale at the Circus Circus where just last week
a clown was caught spraying fecal matter
into the smorgasbord.
(from "Going Bust," p. 72)
Poems that I liked:
"The Marriage" (p. 8), "Romance" (p. 19), "Going Bust" (last stanza only).
=3/64 (4.7%) poems that I liked.
The poetry itself is not my cup of tea, either. The lines are spaced out and full of fragmented ideas, such as "The Invention" (p. 7):
A bullet-ridden burden he set down.
A city erupting out of salt.
What he felt entitled to.
Hidden in the heel of his left shoe.
Some said to the right.
Unable to entirely recall.
What this had to do with happiness.
There are many poems that reuse the same title ("The Marriage" and "Romance"). A lot of the poems objectify women, crassly describe sex, or hint at closeted homosexuality. Polytheogamy is one of those books that's so in love with the idea of itself that technique almost becomes irrelevant. I can kind of admire the author's bravado, but I don't admire the poetry itself.
the women were brought into the room, all naked
except for the hoods placed over their heads,
women who'd been instructed to bend
over far enough to grab hold of their ankles
with their assholes facing you, you wept
for you knew your wife was among them,
and you had to admit it was impossible
to tell which of those contorted trembling forms
was yours—
(from "The Room," p. 14)
Banned meat infected with mad-cow disease
on sale at the Circus Circus where just last week
a clown was caught spraying fecal matter
into the smorgasbord.
(from "Going Bust," p. 72)
Poems that I liked:
"The Marriage" (p. 8), "Romance" (p. 19), "Going Bust" (last stanza only).
=3/64 (4.7%) poems that I liked.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews