OVERVIEW

There’s a Brevitist Loose in the Condensory (or) If You Want Your Heart Broken, Read Somebody Else is a collection of poetry in six parts:

(1) poems about a modern life that is often quite mad and less often a little silly,

(2) poems intentionally “epigrammaticer” than most,

(3) poems about love and its challenges,

(4) political poems,

(5) poems that don’t work at all if you hear them only and

(6) [sic] poems

 

ELEVATOR PITCH

Langfeld’s poetry has multiple meanings, conceptual interest and wit.  His work is aurally and visually unique -- and he likes “stinger” endings.

 

NOTES

The title is purposefully longer than usual, partially cryptic and intentionally editorial.  I do not suffer from having Velcro on my forehead and wrist.

 

Recently, my work has been called “epigrammatic,” a term joined at the hip with adjectives like “aphoristic” and “apothegmatic.”  I prefer the moniker “brevitist.”  It is easier on the tongue.  Over time, this devotion to brevity has become essential to the ongoing struggle to keep self-indulgence at bay.

 

As a writer, I am a minimalist.  Most everything I pen is short, exploring perceptual shifts that may or many not be obvious, that may or may not be spiked with humor.  There is no rule that delimits poetry from exploring relevance with humor. Funny bones can be serious business.  They can be perfect foils to keep us from missing points.

 

My goal for this project was to put together a book of poetry that represents my particular style of writing (and thinking) and includes individual titles (and a look!) that will catch the eyes and ears of readers and make them want to open the book (and their pockets) to find out what this brevity is all about.