Can’t Stop Now! by John Yamrus

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Can’t Stop Now!
136 pages
$17.50

ISBN: 978-1-926860-06-0
Epic Rites Press, 2011


Exterior by Pablo Vision

Can’t Stop Now! is the eighteenth poetry collection by acclaimed author John Yamrus – whose career has spanned more than four decades.

When asked about “endurance,” John replied “I’ve always considered myself to be a lunch pail kind of writer… one who goes to work every day and no matter what, manages to get the job done.”

outside my window
the neighbor’s
cutting his
grass,
the guy
across the street
is hosing down
his driveway
and there’s a kid
going up and
down the
block,
hanging flyers
on mailboxes.
that’s just
the kind of day it is…
nothing
out of the ordinary.
nothing
memorable.
just like
this
poem.
but, it all still
needs to be
done.
the flyers,
the driveway,
the grass,
and,
most especially,
this poem.
i’m pretty
sure
that’s the
way
it
works.

Since the release of his first book in 1970, John’s work has been published in hundreds of magazines, taught at both the high school and university levels, and translated into numerous languages.

The cover of Can’t Stop Now!, by the great multi-media artist Pablo Vision, depicts a 17th century perpetual motion machine – symbolic of John’s remarkably consistent body of work.

“Two major qualities prevail in Yamrus’ recent work: economy and punch. No word is unnecessary or out of place; the timing is impeccable; and, most difficult of all, the endings hit just the right balance of summation, revelation, and surprise.” – Gerald Locklin, author of Charles Bukowski: A Sure Bet

When asked about the economy of his poetry, John remarked:

“I think the hardest thing for a writer to learn is what NOT to say. Writers want to talk and talk and talk in their work and show their readers how good they are. Flashy. That’s not me. I don’t want to impress my readers with bells and whistles. I want to hit them over the head with blood and guts and bone. I don’t want to create an unreality. People can’t relate to that. I want to give them something more. I want to give them something that they know and lead them into thinking something a little deeper about it.”

every year
someone
sends me
an entry form
for the local
Poet Laureate competition.
unable
to throw the thing out,
but unwilling to co-operate,
i take ten minutes
and fill out the form,
sending in
the required
number of entries,
all the while
making sure
that each and every poem
is about hemorrhoids,
a hair on the tip of my nose,
bad breath
or my dog
taking a dump in the yard.
i know the poems
won’t be what they want,
but they
just might be
precisely
what they
need.

When asked about the longevity of his work and how he’s managed to hold onto the fire for over four decades, John replied:

“I think habit plays a certain part in it. Like you said, I’ve been doing this for a long, long time, and it’s just something I’m used to. Old habits like this are hard to break, especially when you’re having as much fun at it as I am. I get a kick out of those aspiring writers who sit around waiting for inspiration. Man, if you can’t look around you, every day, and find something to inspire you, then you’d better pick a different line of work.”

“I read John’s newest book to the end in one sitting, then began rereading. His words get in your head… you can’t stop with one poem, that simply won’t do. It’s like a bag of your favorite flavor of potato chips or that first beer on Friday night after a damn hard week. You sink in to this book and devour it, you savor it. You sit back and wonder… why haven’t I written that before?” – Diana Rose, Write And Radio

doing
something simple,
but making it
perfect,
can often be
a thing of
beauty.
today,
i watered,
pruned
and re-arranged
our potted plants,
and
then,
i thought
of
you.

Can’t Stop Now! by acclaimed author John Yamrus is the work of a master craftsman. This is how poetry was meant to be read: lean, stripped of pretension, pared down to muscle and bone.

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