Poet Rae Armantrout calls fellow poet Aaron Belz the “Comic of the Apocalypse.” After reading his new collection Soft Launch: Poems, I discovered that she was right, but not entirely right. Yes, there is a strong sense of comedy in his poems, evoking smiles, grins, and the occasional out-loud laugh. And yes, some of the poems are about the Apocalypse. But take a plunge below the surface, and you find something else.
Take this poem, for example, “The Importance of Self Care During the Apocalypse.” It has comedy. It’s about the Apocalypse. But it’s also telling us, whether we confront the crackup of Western civilization, imminent climate disaster, or the complete breakdown of political and civil discourse, we should always remember to take a deep breath.
To continue reading, please see my post today at Tweetsdpeak Poetry.
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