A Gringo Like Me: Poems

by Jennifer L. Knox

Borrowing its title from an Ennio Morricone ditty in the spaghetti western Gunfight at Red Sands, Jennifer L. Knox’s A Gringo Like Me contains poems at once raucous and sexy, tender and raw. Knox has collected dramatic monologues, personal lyrics, and even screenplays together in a single energetic volume for a genuinely surprising debut. In favorites such as “Hot Ass Poem,” “Cruising for Prostitutes,” and “Chicken Bucket,” Knox’s quirky characters appear ornery, hickish, misogynist, or worse, but each elucidates a truth worth knowing, even if it’s not always welcome. In poems like "A Common American Name" and "Freckles," Knox’s lyrical voice charms readers. Between the poles of her unique range, Knox straddles and tames what she may yet prove to be an artificial divide in American she's a former slam champion, but also a two-time contributor to The Best American Poetry ; she's a hilarious performer on stage, but also a deeply intellectual and formally disciplined poet.

Genres: Poetry

80 pages, Paperback

First published September 26, 2005

About the author

Jennifer L. Knox was born in Lancaster, California—home to Frank Zappa, Captain Beefheart, and the Space Shuttle. Her other books of poems, Drunk by Noon and A Gringo Like Me, are also available through Bloof. A volume of her verse in German, Wir Fürchten Uns, is available through Lux Books. Her poems have appeared in three volumes of the Best American Poetry series, Best American Erotic Poems, Great American Prose Poems: From Poet to Present, and Free Radicals: American Poets Before Their First Books.

Reviews

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love dirty mouthed poets especially women poets who feel the need to make boys blush...

[Annie Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had a really, um, interesting poetry professor in college. He exposed us to alternative poetry. And I learned things I never thought I’d learn in a poetry class, including discussions of neuroscience. Super dope. Favorite poem from this collection: “Freckle”. I will follow Knox’s whole writing career.

[Richard]

Borrowing its title from an Ennio Morricone ditty in the spaghetti western Gunfight at Red Sands, Jennifer L. Knox's A Gringo Like Me contains poems at once raucous and sexy, tender and high. In favorites such as "Hot Ass Poem," "Cruising for Prostitutes," and "Chicken Bucket," Knox's speakers appear ornery, hickish, undereducated, misogynist, or worse, but each quirky character manages to elucidate a truth we're better off knowing, even if we'd rather forget it. At other times, Knox's lyrical "I" is downright pretty; in poems like "A Common American Name" and "Freckles" she charms.

Knox has collected dramatic monologues, personal lyrics, and even screenplays together in a single energetic volume for a genuinely surprising debut. Between the poles of her unique range, Knox straddles and tames what she may yet prove to be an artificial divide in American poetry: she's a former slam champion, but also a two-time contributor to The Best American Poetry; she's hilarious and performative on stage, but also deeply intellectual and formally in control. In A Gringo Like Me, Knox roughrides her muse at full gallop, shouting obscene slogans, bits of jokes, and sweet nothings at the top of her lungs along the way.

[B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Highlights (Part I)
*"Mighty, Mighty Primate: Reconsidered"
*"Love Blooms at Chimsbury After the War"
"Distress Call from the Canyon"
"Cruising for Prostitutes"
*"Hot Ass Poem"
*"Mekong"
"The Origin of Stories in the Kingdom of Parrots"
*"A Gringo Like Me"

Highlights (Part II)
"Waiting with the Dead"
"We Are Afraid"
*"Samurai and Child"
*"Mastering the Lesson of Odds"
"Seizing the Li'l Ms. Universe"
*"Chicken Bucket"

Highlights (Part III)
*"And Now A Message from the Seahorses Whinnying in Out Mailbags"
"The Role of Taffy"
"Another Motive for Metaphor"
*"Ode to the New Girl at the Office"
"Freestyle Vagina/"Free Vagina" Style"
*"The Bright Light of Responsibility"
"Instinct in the Age of Astrology"

*Exceptional; an absolute favorite poem of the collection

Wonderful collection. I look forward to reading more of her work.

[Joey Gamble · Rating 3 out of 5]

Exceedingly funny, and often subtly crafted, this book just didn't quite burst for me the way I wanted it to. As an exercise in poetic humor, it succeeds. As a collection, it falls just a little short of the line that would make me want to re-read it. If you're interested in crafting humorous poetry, though, this book is prime study material.

[Biscuits · Rating 3 out of 5]

Many of the poems in this book missed me. I didn't feel much of anything. I thought I was supposed to laugh and go "ah" but I didn't. I gave this book at 3 because the ones that hit me, hit me hard, especially Hot Ass Poem and Chicken Bucket.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

My review can be found in the November 2006 issue of Verse.

[Zach · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG, poetry can be funny! ROFLMAO!

[Carrie Lorig · Rating 4 out of 5]

dear reader,
i am writing to you from deep inside my own ass."

[Brandi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a hot ass book.

[Susannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chicken Bucket. That is all.

[Cole · Rating 1 out of 5]

I loathe this book. Cloying, boring, thinks it's hilarious but it's doin' it wrong.

[Nedduh Simonson · Rating 4 out of 5]

LMHAO