Spring Comes To Chicago

I must confess two of my opinions concerning Mc Grath's "Spring Comes to Chicago": 1) it is an often confusing collection of lyrical thoughts and flashy originality, and: 2) it is truly one of the most gorgeous experiments in contemporary poetical forms.I agree with one of the previous reviewers that Mc Grath immediately reminds one of Whitman and Ginsberg, especially in his use of the catalogue-length lines and his often satirical commentary on American life and living. However, he seems to lean more towards Ginsberg than Whitman, for the American Bard has not Mc Grath's and Ginsberg's sense of humor and irony. The title poem (or should I say section?) "Spring Comes to Chicago" is the closest to Ginsberg as this collection gets...the opening lines are especially familar in cadence to the famous lines from Ginsberg's polemic, "Howl." Nevertheless, while Mc Grath's lines often remind readers of other poets (did everyone catch Williams in there too?), Mc Grath's collage of prose pieces are used in an awe-inspring and masterful way. They are not, as someone noted in a review on his "Road Atlas," simply journal sketches or a rough blue-print for the spirit of this poem. Instead, they are isolated moments where philosphical, scientific, or literary speculation bring us back to the matters the poem discusses.My favorite device of the entire volume is the what I term "the Squirrel stitch." Mc grath playfully and sensitively writes his meditations on the habits of these creatures, sewing a few lines here, then there--- almost as if too unite the thought patterns of the poem with a common element of praise and bewilderment.Anyway, enough of my banter. Read this collection for yourself. You will see how clearly it stands out from the muck being written and sold today. Mc Grath should stick to his guns! If he remains true to the voices recorded in the lines of "Spring Comes to Chicago" he is sure to do something more important and amazing in a future collection.

Two years ago, I sat down with this thin book and a bottle of expensive bourbon. I remember becoming aware of my breathing as I read "The Golden Angel Pancake House" and soon, without having touched any liquor yet, my head started to spin. I had forgotten that words could have such power and irresistible momentum. Only Whitman had ever done that for me.The following day, I read "The Bob Hope Poem" in one sitting, pulled along by the language at great speed. The thing is a glorious beast of a poem, a swooping roller coaster that raises your spirits to nose-bleed heights, sends you careening downhill under 5 g's of sadness, and then redeems you with pure happiness. Never mind "I laughed, I cried" - you will gain a new understanding of emotion.That someone can write like this is inspiring and renewing; it reminds us why poetry matters.

I can't say enough good things about Campbell McGrath's third book of poems. It's nothing short of breathtaking. Really. I think the Bob Hope Poem is the new Howl, the new Song of Myself; it has a little of both in it. It takes on American culture aggressively, intelligently, whimsically, and more interestingly than any other poem I've seen in twenty years. I'm dying to know how McGrath does it, to tell you the truth! I liked it so much that I made it a required book in my intro to poetry writing workshop. I think it's the kind of book that gives writers a sense of what can be done with America still, what kinds of voices we're made of. It's refreshing too that the book doesn't play into that old tired routine of the obscure poet simply playing with words for his or her own amusement while we get to look on passively. Spring Comes To Chicago is much more democratic in its outlook, hopeful, even--dare I say it?--joyful. God knows we need that right about now.

I will be brief. The Bob Hope Poem made me start writing poetry again. This poem should be read by everyone with a 401K, every business school student, the entirety of Capitol Hill... well, the list is too long. Suffice it to say, this is a great American poem written to every American by a great American poet. Now back to my People magazine.

While I do not regularly read poetry, I received McGrath's first book "Capitalism" as a gift and have been hooked ever since. "Spring Comes to Chicago" is my favorite of his three. Mcgrath's descriptions of everyday events in the cocoon of his Chicago apartment in winter are delightful. The Bob Hope Poem provides a forum for McGrath's insightful and often amusing obsevations on everything from People magazine to Darwin to squirrels and gourmet pet food. The Pregancy Triptych is fabulous. I highly recommend this book (even to those who never read poetry).