Saturday, September 22, 2007

House of Sugar by Rebecca Kraatz

http://www.tuliptreepress.net/sugar/

In my elective class (Expanding the Poetic Toolbox: Saying the Unsayable), we are relating the vernacular of cross-genre art forms to the language utilized in describing poetry. The first genre we have endeavored upon is the graphic novel. And (being the geek that I am), I am in love with the books and study of this field in relationship to poetry. We've read Chicken with Plums and Understanding Comics thus far. This week, I was supposed to read Mother Come Home, but am unable to find ANY place which sells it on time, before Monday's class. However, I have read through the handout of examples the professor has given me, and have fallen in love with Rebecca Kraatz's series, House of Sugar. It's a whimsical little comic strip written in what could be described as poetry format (depending upon what you classify as poetry).

Either way, I am in love with it. The complete ridiculousness of some of the strips (i.e. the one where the hamster goes missing, only to be found singing on the playground) is a refreshing reminder of childhood. We only had a few examples in our packets, but I looked up the rest of them through tulip tree press.

Perhaps I enjoy the comic strip because it reminds me of my own work at times. Or maybe because she's obsessed with the 1940s films and their stars: the nostalgia for the time when the men were rugged, handsome, and secretive; and the woman were refined, stylish, and aloof.

I highly recommend it. It made me want to comic-strip-ify ALL of my poems. Perhaps when I find a scanner, I'll be able to show at least the one I've done thus far.


Enjoy if you get the chance to read them. If not, lata suckaz!

--Leni-kins

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