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Pretty, Rooster
A collection of sonnets by Clay Matthews featuring comics by Shannon Wheeler (Too Much Coffee Man) and Micah Farritor (White Picket Fences).
- GenresPoetry
75 pages, Paperback
First published November 25, 2010
25 people want to read
About the author
Clay Matthews
14 books17 followersClay Matthews has published poetry in journals such as The American Poetry Review, Black Warrior Review, Kenyon Review, Gulf Coast, and elsewhere. His most recent book, Shore, was recently released from Cooper Dillon Books. His other books are Superfecta (Ghost Road Press), RUNOFF (BlazeVox), and Pretty, Rooster (Cooper Dillon).
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
October 17, 2020
Clay Matthews's poetry book was so different from what I am used to reading. I don't read much poetry, but most of what I've read is very confessional, romance or anti-romance, or something of that nature. His book is also in sonnets, which if you just say "Sonnets" to me I think "boring, old-fashioned" but Matthews brings sonnets to life.
To summarize his book some, it is in three "cockcombs." The beginning and end have sonnets written in a comic strip. The topics are of a small town in Tennessee, where Matthews used to live in. Matthews also, in some poems, takes the last line of a poem and puts it as the first line in the next poem. This has to require so much skill, time, and effort! It is my favorite part of his book hands down. My second favorite part is the comics... it is so different and interesting.
Matthews does an excellent job of writing about mundane, everyday things but making them feel poetic. He does not put bells and frills on them though, or try to make everyday things feel romanticized, he just writes about them so eloquently you can't help but admire it.
I write mostly confessional poetry but have always appreciated and wanted to be able to write about everyday things and make it not dry. If you have the same issues or desires, this poetry book will inspire you!
Why I rated it a four instead of five was purely because I am from a larger city. So poetry books that tend to be about smaller towns are harder for me to get through. I do think this is one of those poetry books you can lie in a hammock and enjoy. Not one you can't help but finish in one sitting. That did not make it any less enjoyable, just not something I would naturally gravitate towards. 10/10 would recommend this book! Even if you are from a bigger city because it gives you so much perceptive of something different than what you know. Not to also mention it is so well written.
To summarize his book some, it is in three "cockcombs." The beginning and end have sonnets written in a comic strip. The topics are of a small town in Tennessee, where Matthews used to live in. Matthews also, in some poems, takes the last line of a poem and puts it as the first line in the next poem. This has to require so much skill, time, and effort! It is my favorite part of his book hands down. My second favorite part is the comics... it is so different and interesting.
Matthews does an excellent job of writing about mundane, everyday things but making them feel poetic. He does not put bells and frills on them though, or try to make everyday things feel romanticized, he just writes about them so eloquently you can't help but admire it.
I write mostly confessional poetry but have always appreciated and wanted to be able to write about everyday things and make it not dry. If you have the same issues or desires, this poetry book will inspire you!
Why I rated it a four instead of five was purely because I am from a larger city. So poetry books that tend to be about smaller towns are harder for me to get through. I do think this is one of those poetry books you can lie in a hammock and enjoy. Not one you can't help but finish in one sitting. That did not make it any less enjoyable, just not something I would naturally gravitate towards. 10/10 would recommend this book! Even if you are from a bigger city because it gives you so much perceptive of something different than what you know. Not to also mention it is so well written.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 17, 2020
Clay Matthews collection of (mostly) sonnets is a masterpiece of intentional design, which somehow defies certain rules (of form, or self-determination) while simultaneously adhering to them.
A traditional crown of sonnets is a sequence of sonnets, usually addressing one person, and/or one theme. Usually then each of the sonnets in a crown would tackle one facet of the theme, and is linked to the preceding and succeeding sonnets by repeating the final line of the preceding sonnet as its first line, and by having its final line be the first line of the succeeding sonnet. With seven sonnets, the first line of the first sonnet is repeated as the final line of the final sonnet, thereby bookending the crown. In interviews, Matthews has referred to this collection as a cockscomb of sonnets; cockscomb being the crown of a rooster -- so as not to confine himself to the strict requirements of the latter part of the crown's definition.
Matthews succeeds in creating a collection that despite a mention of Bob Dylan and NASCAR seems virtually timeless. Relatable themes such as pain and growing older are met head on -- but in the context of lawn mowing, dog owning, and life living. As I write this, next month marks the 10th Anniversary of the publication of Pretty Rooster. I have no doubt this book will carry the same resonance when it is discovered by some new reader in another 90 years on its 100th Anniversary. It's that kind of collection.
It's also the kind of collection which contains two comic strips which span across the fold and a flipbook cartoon rooster in the margin. These two finishing touches illustrate (pun intended) perfectly the meticulous intentionality of this collection.
A traditional crown of sonnets is a sequence of sonnets, usually addressing one person, and/or one theme. Usually then each of the sonnets in a crown would tackle one facet of the theme, and is linked to the preceding and succeeding sonnets by repeating the final line of the preceding sonnet as its first line, and by having its final line be the first line of the succeeding sonnet. With seven sonnets, the first line of the first sonnet is repeated as the final line of the final sonnet, thereby bookending the crown. In interviews, Matthews has referred to this collection as a cockscomb of sonnets; cockscomb being the crown of a rooster -- so as not to confine himself to the strict requirements of the latter part of the crown's definition.
Matthews succeeds in creating a collection that despite a mention of Bob Dylan and NASCAR seems virtually timeless. Relatable themes such as pain and growing older are met head on -- but in the context of lawn mowing, dog owning, and life living. As I write this, next month marks the 10th Anniversary of the publication of Pretty Rooster. I have no doubt this book will carry the same resonance when it is discovered by some new reader in another 90 years on its 100th Anniversary. It's that kind of collection.
It's also the kind of collection which contains two comic strips which span across the fold and a flipbook cartoon rooster in the margin. These two finishing touches illustrate (pun intended) perfectly the meticulous intentionality of this collection.
October 16, 2020
This is a book of sonnets, and the poet has both end-rhymed and used traditional meter, which is quite a fun challenge! However, just because the ends of lines rhyme doesn't mean the rhymes are easy to pick up--often, the sentences wrap around so that, read aloud in regular speech (and not sonnet-speech) they don't always sound rhymed. I admire this modern, English-language way of writing sonnets because I know just how hard it can be to write one. There are some other quirky little things to notice about this book: the cartoons at front and back, the rooster sketches at the beginning of each of the major sections (named "cockscombs," because each section features a crown sonnet, and the cockscomb is also known as a crown), and the small rooster sketches at the bottom of each page which, when you flip through the book, show a rooster in action. :)
But maybe I should focus more on the actual words used, because there are many delightful turns of phrase sprinkled throughout these poems. As in the poem "Market," in which the "streetlights shake and fizz" and "the graveyard upon the hill reads to all of us at night...names the dearly beloved." Or in "Vine," the poet tells us "Wear can make an old thing beautiful, it can drop a bridge down to its knees in low water . . ." Just lovely. I found much to admire in this collection. It's a portrait of a man starting to move away from his youth, questioning what he thinks about god and other big human topics, and noticing the small, remarkable, beautiful things in life (as poets must).
But maybe I should focus more on the actual words used, because there are many delightful turns of phrase sprinkled throughout these poems. As in the poem "Market," in which the "streetlights shake and fizz" and "the graveyard upon the hill reads to all of us at night...names the dearly beloved." Or in "Vine," the poet tells us "Wear can make an old thing beautiful, it can drop a bridge down to its knees in low water . . ." Just lovely. I found much to admire in this collection. It's a portrait of a man starting to move away from his youth, questioning what he thinks about god and other big human topics, and noticing the small, remarkable, beautiful things in life (as poets must).
October 16, 2020
Clay Mathews manages to find intrigue in the mundane in this collection of sonnets. I felt as if I was in the droning spring days in a small town, feeling simultaneously hopeful and dejected. Mathews explores existentialism very casually, questioning if there is a god very abruptly at times. The sonnets are blunt but vague and introspective enough to keep me thinking. He captures the essence of life: just existing and getting older with no reason why, but there is still love and an appreciation for the small things. Dry comedy perfectly suits his day to day narrative style. For example, these lines stood out: “All I do is sit and fill my head with coffee and try to appear as if I’m inconsequential. I don’t even know what I mean by that.” (p.59).
Mattews sometimes makes the first line of the poem the same as the last of the previous poem (crowns). This made the poems have continuity or flow like passing days or hours, which I appreciated. There are also comics at the beginning and end of the book. I really liked this touch, as I have not seen poems within comics before. However, I wish there were more than two since it makes a unique branding from other poetry books. I also would have liked more variety in the subject matter if not forms.
Mattews sometimes makes the first line of the poem the same as the last of the previous poem (crowns). This made the poems have continuity or flow like passing days or hours, which I appreciated. There are also comics at the beginning and end of the book. I really liked this touch, as I have not seen poems within comics before. However, I wish there were more than two since it makes a unique branding from other poetry books. I also would have liked more variety in the subject matter if not forms.
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October 16, 2020Clay Matthews manages to capture one of the major characteristics of the human condition: our awareness of our inevitable death. Matthews collection of poignantly written sonnets reflect the inner struggle of finding significance in the hum-drum of daily life. As a reader, prepare to ponder your own place in the universe with Matthews' poems like "Death Letter", with the concluding couplet stating "We're not eternal, / we're dust. Then wind blows and we buckle" (31). If you have ever felt the intense awareness that comes with springtime, with being surrounded by constant acts of renewal, yet in turn being faced with witnessing your own stagnancy compared to the blooming world around you, you should be able to connect with this collection of sonnets. The days really don't stop coming and the cycle can make one restless, but Matthews offers a sense of relief by reminding readers the beauty of believing "foremost, in love" (61). I passionately urge you to purchase and read this outstanding example of what poetry can encompass.
October 12, 2020
Clay Matthews’ book of sonnets are brilliantly written, but in a way that feels natural and unintimidating. With recurring ideas of spring, seeds, and mornings, Matthews' poems can be relatable to any reader; it brings up ideas about what it means to be human in our changing world. Clay Matthews illustrates that life is “all lovely and pain” (49) in his sonnets that touch on the hardships and beauties of living life the best we can. Matthews connects everyday images to existential or philosophical ideas, like in “River Running to the Ocean, Ocean Running to the Sea” Matthews writes “The dog licks his leg and we are alive” (42). I highly recommend Clay Matthews book Pretty, Rooster. Like a Rooster proclaims in the morning that it is time to rise, Matthews' book will make you want to rise and experience the world around you and “not forget about the small things” (37).
November 14, 2017
How deftly the poet Clay Matthews is able to unfurl a soft-spoken, ample-hearted sonnet! This book is a windfall of sonnets: an entire collection of contemporary 14-line poems that satisfy the timeless demands of all sonnet-making, but do so by employing just the very lightest traces of rhyme (sentiment) & reason (argument). Adding to the unique value of this volume are its two inserts of graphic art, as well as a flip-book feature (an animated rooster) at the bottom of text pages.
October 17, 2020
I found that these poems had a much bigger impact as part of a collection; my experience was that they needed so much to be seen as part of the whole to be best appreciated. Definitely a scenario where the sun is greater than it's parts. Some of that comes from the form, the way the sonnets are linked, but the content calls for it, too. The strength of this collection lies in magnifying small things, drawing attention to everyday experiences and thoughts. There's a larger sense of story, of something to discover, but the casual feel of the poems can fool the reader into missing that everyday beauty.
June 24, 2015
Few poems stood out..
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews