Works & Days

by Bill Luoma

Poetry. "Bill Luoma writes like an anchorman, not so much an 'insider' as a glider on the minimalist way of expressing being alive in groups with a purpose (the team). Once the purpose has been established, a tighter focus begins to take over, the love of women, or narrating Douglas, Bill's friend. Not since Bob Gluck and Bruce Boone's camraderie in the 70s have there been such a literary buddy's movie as this. It's sketchy, and knowing and gleeful. Not since Thoreau has someone I know suggested that everything counts and then gone to work, wherever"--Eileen Myles.

Genres: Poetry

152 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1998

Reviews

[Joseph · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Ceres always has a boyfriend with long hair when Brian calls her or she's watching the olympics. Her boyfriend is usually in Japan. I never know why people in love spend time apart when they could be dead in two years. I called her serious a couple of times, but that wasn't very funny. Her real name is barbara.”

“At Brian's we laughed about the time we were in a car. Do you want to be butt fucked before or after we axe murder you is what Douglass said to a hitch hiker. It was right after that guy in Wisconsin ate those people.”

“We walk the campus in search of Sherry's car. Juliana is jealous that anyone gets to teach here. Sherry explains that she goes out in state college to watch the Bulls. She discusses the Dennis Rodman book and likes the beginning. However, there are no good words to describe this beginning where Dennis has lost his Piston friends to trades after winning it all. Dennis is sad and wants to quit. He has no community and there is no space in the NBA for tattoos and colored hair. Well. You know the story. He just does it. I wonder about the veracity of Sherry's opening lines about Dennis-that there are no good words to describe his predicament-and conclude that Sherry is really talking about herself. Sherry is Dennis Rodman.”