Hammer: Poems

By Mark Turpin

Book Overview

"Turpin is a poet of unusual gifts. . . a meditative and social poet whose real subject is the connection between one person and another--sometimes, between one person and all others. His material is not local color, but the universal, and the building trades are presented not as exotic but for their likeness to the rest of life."--Robert Pinsky

"This work is so fundamentally substantial and pleasurable that it feels, to me, like an anthem."--Tony Hoagland

Mark Turpin has made his living for the past twenty-five years as a carpenter and construction worker, and his debut collection offers a rare and profound view of manual labor's laconic, and largely male, world. He lives in San Francisco.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1889330868
• ISBN13: 9781889330860
• Release Date: July 2003
• Publisher: Sarabande Books
• Length: 64 Pages
• Weight: 16.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 6.0" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

Construction worker's sourcebook for inspiration

Any construction worker will appreciate the thoughtful beauty of Turpin's easy to read poetry. At the same time, those not within the industry will learn to appreciate the psychology of the construction worker and the world in which he lives. This must read American poetry.

A Beautiful Window into a World Rarely Visted by Poetry.

I first came across Mark Turpin when his poem "Waiting For Lumber" appeared on the Poetry Daily website. I was immediately struck by the unusual subject matter and the simple, yet powerful truth quickly captivated me. Again and again we are taken into a world of 2x4's, bent nails, and sawdust, portrayed in a realistic and beautiful way. We feel the monotony of banging nails all day without it becoming tedious or boring to read. Turpin takes us into the lives and minds of builders through himself and his coworkers. I highly recommend this collection, even if the only pick you regularly use is a toothpick.