Abraham Smith Libros

A new poetry collection from one of America's most lyric and sonically interesting poets. Abraham Smith's Insomniac Sentinel is a concatenation of sandhill cranes and their haunting deep time dinosaur barking. It is the croon of safety from the heart of Wisconsin. It is an aegis from the violence perpetuated on the young; that the young perpetuate; lurching and launching from tercets, those familiar island letting go sideways, the poems themselves as steady and desultory as sand and people and the places they abide. Insomniac Sentinel is a collision of meter, speed, and experience into auditory sensations that range from the elegiac to the ecstatic to the venomous in Smith's nuanced considerations of blue-collar America. Mirroring the attentions of Midwest arrhythmia in the music of the sandhill cranes, Insomniac Sentinel resonates on temporal frequencies, waves ancient and cotemporary, rolling from the throats of giants.

Willie Jackson seems to have always been a thinking kind of person, a poor person’s philosopher so to speak. Some of Willie’s best thoughts and the events in Willie’s life are recounted by Willie’s somewhat rough-hewn good friend, Tap. Follow Tap as he recollects on the everyday realities that people face in life and the many uncertainties and promises of life itself, as seen through the mindseye of Willie Jackson. Don’t worry yourselves any, Willie Jackson isn’t dead, he is just the type who doesn’t find it easy to talk about his thoughts and philosophies with people that aren’t his close friends. But Tap will do a good job of explaining Willie’s innermost thoughts, just give Tap a chance. The thing that you need to understand about Tap going in, is that on his own account, Tap is not the smoothest of talkers and does not use complicated words when simpler words will work out just fine. Although he’s a reasonably bright person, Tap isn’t the most artful of speakers, he will sometimes use terminology and words that you aren’t familiar with, so be forewarned.

Exploring the interplay of language and human nature, the poems delve into the spiritual resonance of words and the chaotic essence of life. They blend elements of folklore with stark observations of human folly, presenting a unique perspective akin to police reports set to music. Each poem serves as both a prayer and a testament, aiming to capture the beauty and tragedy of existence. Amidst impending extinction, the verses reflect a hope that, despite disasters, the songs of humanity will endure in memory.

Exploring themes of love, loss, and the concept of home, the book presents a vivid and dynamic journey through various landscapes. Smith employs a unique poetic cadence, creating a sense of immediacy as he navigates personal history and familiar experiences. The work captures the essence of everyday life with a fresh perspective, transforming the ordinary into a continuous explosion of emotion and reflection, showcasing Smith's distinctive lyrical style.

This Guide reads the Gospel of Mark as a 1st-century CE story about Jesus, for his followers, and against tyranny or the abusive use of power. First, the book shows students how the Gospel uses the form of a traditional laudatory biography (a 'Life') to reshape the memory of the shame-ridden trials and suffering of Jesus. Such a biography portrayed Jesus' descent (as a son of God), his deeds, and his heroic death, dispelling any notion that the teacher Jesus was a charlatan or huckster. Second, Smith demonstrates how the Gospel devotes a great deal of space to Jesus' training of his disciples - as he calls, commissions, and corrects them in preparation for the difficult moments of their journey. Third, Smith highlights the Gospel's special characterizations of Jesus - as a prophetic envoy, a man of authority, and a philosophical hero - contrasting Jesus' use of power with the abusive use of power by Rome's representatives (Herod Antipas and Pilate).