I say: what’s wrong with being clever? One definition of clever is “[the] showing [of] inventiveness and skill.” Another definition of clever: “mentally sharp or bright, witty; possessing quick or able intelligence; nimble with hands or body; … resourceful; showing inventiveness or ORIGINALITY; possessing MAGICAL ABILITIES”

To me, the lack of cleverness is what’s wrong with some poetry these days. Paul Siegell’s book “Poemerbency Room” is original (despite your over-comparisons to Kerouac and e.e. cummings) and it possesses magical abilities, too; I say “magic” because it is not a book you can easily set down off to the side once you finish reading it; something about it keeps drawing the reader back. Take for instance the poem “Poembrance the Bloom.” I read it the other day (for the umpteenth time). In this poem, he writes: “all that blossoms is blessed/all that withers is wake/all that blossoms is bright/all that withers is wail…all that blossoms is brief/all that withers is witness.”

“All that blossoms is brief/all that withers is witness”– just chant that to yourself. Some people have the bible, I have this poem. This poem isn’t just about the alliteration (the Bs and the Ws), but if you (the reader) are just focusing on that– sure that’s all you will take from the poem. However, a true feeler of poetry would notice the alliteration after the fact and say “Wow, how did the poet manage to do that and yet not lose the poem in the process!”

This author is special and, to me, this book might just be what the doctor/sorcerer ordered for those sleeping-poets out there, and for those would-be writers who need a push.

Siegell’s poems are not just “fun” little whimsical poems and his poems not only “[Celebrate] life,” his poems _are_ life. A poet’s job is to give a whole new take on life, self, beauty, movement, to give the readers his philosophy or his “side of the story.” If not that, then all poets would sound alike.

And Paul Siegell gives a WHOLE NEW take on life in “Poemergency Room” — that is why he is one of the fresh new voices in poetry. Some poets talk about the same thing, in the same way as everybody else, but you won’t find that here, not in “Poemergency Room.” That is what makes it an outstanding read.

Read it again, Paul Siegell’s “philosophical exploration of life, self, beauty, movement” is in every page, every poem.