Dervish
by James Mirarchi
Lulu.com
$10.00 Paperback
Copyright ©2009
ISBN: 9780557084319
76 Pages
At only 76 pages, Dervish by James Mirarchi was a quick read but is a prime example – I’ve pointed out many here at LLBR – of an author embracing self publishing to truly capture his creativity. The book sells itself as a collection of poetry, but actually opens with a brief one act play and ends with a short story, reminding me of the editions of the “Concise Book of Literature” from college English courses, still adorning my bookshelf today because they contain some of my favorite short stories and poetry.
The one act play takes place in a beauty salon and is called “MakeUp.” It’s a conversation between a beautician named Bridget and an older customer of hers named Alexandria. The two trade compliments and insults as Bridget attempts to “beautify” Alexandria, but Alexandria believes there is no hope for her aging face. Their dialogue is a bit Victorian, but does contain such gems as this from Alexandria:
In my twenties, lacquered men would kneel at the altar of my chest and drink from my nipple chalice. Now, only the homeless and derelicts flock to me for charity. Ohhhh, I beckon every soap opera equestrian, every Renaissance stud to frolic on my Harlequin stage, where a spotlight of my blood shall woo them.
And this from Bridget:
God has switched careers – he is no longer a baby dispatcher who assigns placenta posts, but a magician for the
“deformed.” I can’t believe my eyes!
And I couldn’t resist this line from Alexandria either:
Has your hair dye seeped into your head and colored your brain sinister?
Only fourteen poems follow, and while I usually try not to compare poetry of one poet to another poet I’ve reviewed, I have to admit that Mr. Mirarchi’s verse is a bit more refreshing than others I’ve read lately. He’s also a word artist, taking full advantage of the white canvas which is the page in front of him, spreading his words out, playing with position and form, and giving the reader a few new images that were definitely new to my brain. Here’s one of my favorites from a poem called “Tornado:”
Once
When the heavens were brawling
I looked up in the sky
And saw Destiny
Naked and bored
Sitting at his barometric sewing machine
His foot dancing on pedal
His sewing machine is life, its pedal thunder, its needle lightning, its thread
ornate clouds ….
Mr. Mirarchi also has a talent for presenting a brilliant and detailed character study in very few words, from a glimpse of selfish Victoria strolling amongst Christmas litter in a poem called “Remains,” to a dandelion named Sally and a bee named Rambo in “Bumblebee;” and in another holiday poem called “The Gift” where a young boy receives a baby alien from his father. The poet abandons tedious verse and rhyme and tells a story in short lines that definitely leave you eager for more detail, but after a second or third read you find that everything you need to fulfill the story is right there in the two dozen or so lines. They are indeed fascinating story poems.
My favorite out of all the poems is called “Propaganda” and tells the story of two bands headlining at a club: lesbians with shaved heads who call themselves The Mothers and a group of heavy metal male skinheads called Smashfist. It’s a grapevine soap opera of sorts that goes well beyond the conflict between the two bands and becomes a story about ghosts attempting to save a pair of roommates from their apartment’s handyman. Weird? Absolutely! But so odd and in-depth you can’t help but read it again and again.
The short story at the end is called “Lips” and is sort of a “Day in the Life of” piece following an angry boy named Eric. It reads like the stage direction of a play, and in short choppy sentences almost like it might have started out as a poem instead. I actually think it would have worked better as a poem rather than being arranged into paragraphs to become a short story. It was my least favorite of the anthology.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this short collection from James Mirarchi and wouldn’t have minded it being a bit longer. Both original and extraordinary, and a bit bizarre at times, I found Dervish to be quite a refreshing read.
You can check out a preview and decide for yourself at Lulu.com.
Thank you! … Thank you, Shannon, for the great review! Me and my poetry definitely appreciate the much needed exposure!
James
I, too, read this collection and loved it. I also have Mr. Mirarchi’s first book, entitled “Venison.” It’s a great read and shows the author’s darker side. What I particularly like about Dervish, the new book, is its playful use of gothic imagery. It is also quite humorous in parts, while touching at the same time. I wholeheartedly recommend this book.