Plash & Levitation

by Tavel, Adam

Plash and Levitation delves into the chaotic sublime of fatherhood, the candid revelations of youth, and the lingering consequences of history. Adam Tavel’s revealing and imaginative poems are joined by fictional monologues from historical figures and cultural icons, juxtaposing personal history with our shared one. Civil War general William Tecumseh Sherman and rock legend Keith Moon are joined by musings from the Redskins logo and the Wolfman. Together they create a lively chorus that clashes and soars. The result is forty- two fascinating pieces that are witty, consistently musical, and undeniably powerful—the perfect inaugural selection for the Permafrost Book Prize.

Tavel’s Plash and Levitation, as the title suggests, attacks with sardonic lancets. Humor, erudition and a witty talent for sheer invention set this volume apart.

—www.cleavermagazine.com

Plash and Levitation reads as a daring collection of poems that pushes forward. It’s smart and edgy, an impressive first book from a poet with a truly unique voice.

—Zone 3

Adam Tavel is associate professor of English at Wor-Wic Community College on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. He is the author of The Fawn Abyss.