Gerry Crinnin, Forest Lawn Poems (1st Edition) (Buy this book)
Review by deb Ewing
When I first got this manuscript in my hands, I was thrilled. It made pictures in my mind. I could feel each leaf and cold stone, hear the crickets as they hesitated, waiting for me to pass before continuing the song.
Each poet brings us a different offering – this feels obvious, but I think it’s worth contemplating regularly. In each case, though, there’s the same message: Please look at what I found in the world, something you might have missed, or maybe you saw it, too.
In Forest Lawn Poems, I found someone who’d seen it, too.
I was tasked with the layout of this book, and decisions needed to be made. I wanted lots of irregular space, like walking an uneven path between old tombstones. I hoped, through typesetting, to reinforce what the poet had shown me, perhaps to make that uneven path a little more worn. I’m grateful that the publisher and the poet agreed with me.
Each piece is a hyper-focus on a sound that caught your attention or a bit of sunlight catching something glittery. But you don’t worry about what caught your attention; you see what’s there in front of you, in the now. This is a very immediate collection of poetry. Keep it nearby, like a cigarette break or a handful of chips.
Intersections are important to me. So when I recorded a reading, I chose to bring this sweet and sentimental work into the modern age and post it on TikTok with contradictory silly filters. Please enjoy:
