Funny: Volume 12

Buy this bbok. Jennifer Michael Hecht is a remarkable poet. Wise, clever and funny.

... and first one (my friend) picks up a copy of "Funny" and says to the second one (me), "You should really read this poet. She's fantastic." Well, the joke is on him, because I've been following Hecht's work for a long time, in Poetry Magazine and other places. Because she -is- fantastic and this new book is quite simply brilliant. I'm usually wary of books with a central theme or conceit, but I waded into "Funny" with full confidence in Hecht's amazing ability to thrill me, chlll me, make me laugh, make me cry, make me think. I'm stunned and humbled by her poems and heartily recommend "Funny" to anyone, especially new poetry readers. My favorites in this collection are "Propogation of the Species," "Gorilla and the Darkening Room," and the sonnet "Prosody on Comedy." Do yourself a favor and get in on the ground floor with this talented poet, before she wins the major awards that are assuredly coming her way. No joke.