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Holy Sonnets
Holy Sonnets by Dan Schneider. Modernizing and moving Holy Sonnets beyond John Donne and a host of his poor imitators.
35 pages, Paperback
Published July 8, 2021
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July 14, 2025
Author Dan Schneider's poetry has a sense of humor few contemporaries understand, let alone are willing to read in his prose. I say prose because it's clear he's aiming for both the classics such as with the poets John Donne and Robert Browning, as well as the sloppiness of more contemporary writers, such as Sharon Olds. While it's easy to deride Mr. Schneider's boastful nature, the poet does tend to back up his criticism of other celebrated poets with his own disciplined nature.
I cannot say I enjoyed all of his poetry, but there is no doubt Dan is a student of English literature, not content to merely ape what other MFA-approved poets are simply doing. Dan isn't afraid to break rules of traditional sonnets, employing selective enjambment and Olds-esque prose over verse, while still retaining what appears to be a sense of classic poetic structures.
What makes his poetry thrilling and alive, however, is his willingness to compare himself to the greats, at the expense of derision or ignorance of other less talented writers who rely more on writing workshop approval than actual intuition and daresay rebelliousness. I am glad to have purchased this slim volume of poetry, and my only complaint is that I wish there were more of his poems to read. I would encourage others to search out his words as well. He is that interesting.
I cannot say I enjoyed all of his poetry, but there is no doubt Dan is a student of English literature, not content to merely ape what other MFA-approved poets are simply doing. Dan isn't afraid to break rules of traditional sonnets, employing selective enjambment and Olds-esque prose over verse, while still retaining what appears to be a sense of classic poetic structures.
What makes his poetry thrilling and alive, however, is his willingness to compare himself to the greats, at the expense of derision or ignorance of other less talented writers who rely more on writing workshop approval than actual intuition and daresay rebelliousness. I am glad to have purchased this slim volume of poetry, and my only complaint is that I wish there were more of his poems to read. I would encourage others to search out his words as well. He is that interesting.
Displaying 1 of 1 review