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Joel Allegretti does poems from Platypus

I sometimes think of Joel Allegretti as part Jersey boy and part Pop artist rolled into what he is, a poet. He came over to my place last week to read from Platypus, his new book published by NYQ Books. “To read from Platypus” aren’t the right words; Joel performs from memory. If a poet can’t recite his poems does the poet really know them? Words are so much baggage and get hard to carry when you start to memorize them. Words are heavy; and you don’t need that many, you realize as you begin to unpack and leave what you don’t need behind. Memorizing your poem is an excellent way to edit. Any traveler will tell you that very soon any extra baggage is put aside. Rehearsed to perfection, to its second nature, only the poem remains and moves about freely. Only the essential is what you read in Playtpus, a tireless refreshing and often fun journey when poems are remembered to their essence.


Platypus is published by NYQ Books, check them out: http://books.nyq.org/





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