Prettier Grit

PRETTIER GRIT by John  Godfrey  is a daring exploration of the contrasts and textures of modern life, weaving through the streets of personal and societal landscapes. This collection reflects  Godfrey’ s keen eye for detail and his profound grasp on the rhythm of urban existence, merging the ordinary with the extraordinary. From the reflective solitude of “ Drunk on Horizon” to the poignant urgency of “ A Million Sandals for Myanmar,”   Godfrey’ s verse traverses a broad emotional and thematic spectrum. “ Scofflaw SCOTUS” delivers sharp, unyielding commentary on contemporary politics, while “ Juicy Fruit” captures the gritty, raw undercurrents of city life. Each poem in the collection is a tapestry of nuanced observations, philosophical musings, and stark realism, marked by  Godfrey’ s signature lyrical prowess and intricate imagery. PRETTIER GRIT invites readers into a world where the visceral and the sublime coexist, challenging them to perceive the beauty in the harshness and the truths hidden in everyday facades— a testament to  Godfrey’ s ability to speak profoundly to the human condition through the lens of poetry. Ideal for those who find poetry in the pavement cracks and in the whispers between city lights, this collection is a compelling journey through the vivid landscapes crafted by a masterful poet.

John Godfrey was born in Massena, N.Y. in 1945. He is the author of 14 collections of poetry, including The City Keeps: Selected and New Poems 1966-2014 (Wave Books, May 2016). He received an A.B. from Princeton University in 1967, and took a B.S. in Nursing from Columbia University in 1994. He has received fellowships from the General Electric Foundation (1984), the Foundation for Contemporary Arts (2009), and the Z Foundation (2013). He retired in 2011 after 17 years as a nurse clinician in HIV/AIDS. He has lived in the East Village of Manhattan since the 1960s.

Contents Drunk on Horizon Earth Minh A Million Sandals Away Anytime Scofflaw SCOTUS Juicy Fruit Uncovered Light Blown Sand Danja-russ to be Hun-gary My One Ear Discount Tired Empty Swivel Stone Still Exposition Slaps Away Man-made Bodies Burned Light Frozen Freeway Cloud Cover Hours for Cinders Tired They Sleep Milestones Available Light Selling Kisses Thunk and Open All the Roundabouts Prettier Grit Rubber Stone Hands to Wash Throw Rug Will Do Whoodah Hat Three Trains Denial Rhymes Shaded Crown So I Dance Brush Touch Chain of Clouds Hellbent The First Wheel Names As Questions From a Flaw Fire Screen Eye Terrain Gray Wines As Afterlife Food and Shelter Unequal Subjects Compass Night Ways Groundswell Neon Puddles Lower Lip Traffic in Air Partial Blackmail Drum Rolled in Raw Dream Scramble Five Deep Symphony Rinse Turf Thing Myco-form Balloon Ticket Hand Orphan Gun Trouble Can Float Baby Blue Creepers Oranges and Reds Pagan Cutlet Between Lips Canary Count Left Feet Up Close Tiny Creased Tip Blanket Coat Only My Alibi Bi New Hand And Plague Smoke Rings Like More How Stacked Rocks Face Card