• Fabulous Freaks

Fabulous Freaks

by Stan Rogal

January 1, 2005 | ISBN 978-1-894987-06-6 | 196 Pages | OUT OF PRINT

**Out of Print**

In this collection of poetry and collage, Stan Rogal tackles all of our myths and monsters. With sly allusions, sharp humour and his trademark word play, Rogal reclaims the freaks of the world – from werewolves to celebrities – and shows them to be an important part of what makes us human. With collages to highlight the piecemeal nature of our society and underscore his poems, Fabulous Freaks is a beautiful and burlesque collection sure to hold the reader until to the last word.

Excerpt

"Werewolf"
for Richard Brautigan

“O beautiful
was the werewolf
in his evil forest”

Not that evil forest, but similar haunted. Alone
Almost alive (barely) at the triggered lip
No more to travel carnival lights, San Fran to Tokyo express
Douses one sad bulb after another.
A sight for sore eyes, surely, that crashes up against the rocks.
Look – an abalone hangs from your neck.
Your hat is on backwards & your moustache droops.
The moon is a blade of silver melon bled across your throat.
Your body howls with
“murmurs of innumerable ghosts in immemorial graves”
Rubies spill from your split guts.

O, king of the forest, where are you now?
Broke like the wind.
We tried to call, but the lion was busy.

  • Review (Ana Trask, surface and symbol, 3/1/2006)
    "Rogal's Fabulous Freaks, a commentary on the inescapably freakish nature of our society, is a most interesting read."

  • Born in Vancouver, Stan Rogal has lived in Toronto for the past twelve years.  Geometry of the Odd is Stan's fourth book of poetry, his second with Wolsak and Wynn.  As well as writing poetry and fiction, Rogal is a playwright/actor/director and co-artistic director of Bald Ego Theatre.  He is also into his ninth year as the coordinator of the popular Idler Pub Reading Series.  How he actually supports himself financially has puzzled friends and relatives for some time now.  As Gwyneth Paltrow states in Shakespeare in Love: it's a mystery.

  • ( sub rosa ) (2003)