April is National Poetry Month, and every now and again I get the urge to be relevant. So in honor of the month, I read a collection of poetry. The Day The World Ends is a collection by Ethan Coen, the filmmaker whose creative talents contributed to such works as Fargo, No Country For Old Men and True Grit.
Coen’s poems are irreverent, funny and go to the limit with crass and crude imagery. Yet, every now and again he surprises with a thoughtful and well-crafted gem. Never sticking to one form, he plays with everything from limericks (of which there is an extensive collection, and which are very, very dirty) to free form, with a variety of lengths (some being just a few short lines and covering several pages). Among the numerous fart jokes and bawdy sex jokes, Coen displays a tender preoccupation with the care of animals, aging, romantic relationships, and loneliness.
I would recommend this collection for fans of Ethan Coen who want to keep up with his collection in all formats, and for those who enjoy ribald potty humor every now and again. Poignancy is at a minimum here, and if you are looking for something deeper, the poems are few and far between.
