In his fourth poetry collection, Looking for Kerouac, Mark Saba searches for hints that will assuage fear for a troubled world, highlighting personal experiences and memories of those who had offered him love and hope. Rather than become fatalistic, he gleans lessons from unpredictable nature and weaves them into his own life. He finds in these poems comfort in chaos, solid footing on shaky ground, and a will to keep moving forward in a life both palpable and imagined.
Mark Saba weaves exquisite metaphors and vivid scenes that appeal to all the senses. "Then the bombs fell, ripe watermelons / painting the earth red" (from "The Day the Bombs Fell"). His poetry resonates with readers for its emotional clarity, and ability to articulate nuanced experiences. His observations echo with grace and depth. Every poem is a meditation, "A snippet of Earth's time recorded / in utter perfection" (from "Sketching People").
-Belinda Subraman, publisher, GAS Poetry, Art and Music and Managing Editor and interviewer, BeatLife