Permanent Smoke

by Darrell Epp

Permanent Smoke , Darrell Epp's fifth collection, uses poetry as a scalpel to dissect our present moment in all its terrors and delights.
Gravity and grace duel to the death in a tinkertoy universe. Downsized superheroes moonlight as Uber drivers. There's a light in the black like a knock-knock joke in the palliative care ward, and a love beyond any vocabulary.

140 pages, Paperback

Published October 4, 2022

About the author

author of imaginary maps (2009), after hours (2016)

Reviews

[O. Jennings · Rating 5 out of 5]

Irresistible Resonating Mind Bombs!
Darrell Epp is at the top of his game. Each poem has lines that I am dying to quote to someone! Congratulations to Darrell on this superb collection of poetry that makes me ache with resonance and appreciation for his voicing of the many wonders and discontents of our age with such power. And congratulations to whoever picks up this book!

[Ethan MacDonald · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. Epp’s super compressed slices of life are more addictive than crack

[Bethany Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favourite of Darrell Epp’s books to date. Permanent Smoke seamlessly blends an unstoppable forward motion with an often aching sense of nostalgia. Epp writes with reluctant relevance, visceral storytelling, and frequent reminders of the beauty we can find when we pause to pay attention. I was especially drawn to the thread of Dorothee in this book (who we’ve seen in Epp’s past poetry). She appears throughout as interruption from the chaos, somehow both grounding and ethereal. I absolutely loved it.

[Lynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the poetic lens, how it really brings to life how much of life is a fever dream. Epp's poems are also enhanced by being about the city I know and love, and the places that are both real and unreal at the same time. Favourite poems from the collection include: Primer, Low Self-Esteem Perpetual Motion Machine, and Contra Zeno: Corner of Barton and Tiffany.

[Nickolas Saffar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Permanent smoke makes the world a more beautiful place. Great stuff!

[Gaurav Banger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Urgent, tightly-compressed pieces of life that feel like crazy opium nods. Bizzarre, haunting, and surprisingly moving.

[Jason Knowles · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can I say, another fine book of poetry from Darrell Epp.

[Alexandra · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars