Baffled in Baloneyville

Forget the title of one of Robert Dunn's previous books, "Cannon Fodder." His poems aren't that. It's just Mr. Dunn being humble again. They're real gems. For example, "'Fig Leaf Rag: Adam and Eve, when banished from Eden/donned their finest traveling fig leaves. /If it had been revenge-hungry me, /I'd have worn snakeskin.'" His humor and craftsmanship are a perfect blend. His poems weren't just written to make you laugh-though they accomplish that non-stop-but also to shake up your view of reality. Robert replaces philosophy with common sense, like in "'On Pragmatism': A metaphysical editor once asked me/to contribute a serious essay/on the philosophy of Pragmatism./ I thought better of it." My mind definitely worked better after reading a heavy dose of one of the most entertaining and yet serious poets, Robert Dunn.

-Hal Sirowitz