Comic poetry is serious stuff, combining incongruity, satire and psychological effects to provide us a brief victory over reason that could help us save ourselves, if not the world. Taking a theoretical perspective, this book champions the literary movement of American comic poetry, providing historical context and exploring the work of such writers as Denise Duhamel, Campbell McGrath, Billy Collins, Thomas Lux and Tony Hoagland. The techniques of these poets are examined to reveal how they make us laugh while addressing important social concerns.
Comic poetry is serious stuff, combining incongruity, satire and psychological effects to provide us a brief victory over reason that could help us save ourselves, if not the world. Taking a theoretical perspective, this book champions the literary movement of American comic poetry, providing historical context and exploring the work of such writers as Denise Duhamel, Campbell McGrath, Billy Collins, Thomas Lux and Tony Hoagland. The techniques of these poets are examined to reveal how they make us laugh while addressing important social concerns.
Jeff Morgan is a professor of English at Lynn University in Boca Raton, Florida, and the author of four books, numerous essays and poems. He lives in Boynton Beach, Florida.
“Morgan’s witty prose explores the origins of comic poetry in America. [It]intersperses history with scholarship and provides a detailed account of American comic poetry.... Morgan produces a very well-crafted and approachable analysis of American comic poetry for both comic enthusiasts and beginners”—Journal of the American Studies Association of Texas (JASAT); “Morgan successfully demonstrates how popular humor is rooted in American poetic tradition in an accessible way, proving accessibility is essential to comedy as well as any lasting art.”—Brad Johnson, The Happiness Theory; “This analysis is also historical beginning with the early Americans like Franklin, Freneau and Barlow. Using his own bits of humor, he finds in each comedy that others might overlook.”—Mike Reed, University of Texas Rio Grand Valley; “Morgan strikes an ideal balance between humorous appreciation and poetic analysis. His insights are revealing and fresh. What a pleasure to encounter these poets through Morgan’s perspective!” —Diane Allerdyce, Whatever It Is I Was Giving Up and House of Aching Beauty.
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