This was really fun to read, although a bit repetitive after a while. I mostly enjoyed pieces like chat room, binoculars, workshop and especially answering machine. As much as I hate to admit that I have a really hard time reading and enjoying poetry, the way that Paul Hoover took Shakespear's Sonnet 56 and gives so many different variations of it kept me engaged throughout the book. one line that has been sticking with me since I read it was "winter, all summer long" and I really liked the piece where he had summer and winter have a conversation. Binoculars was very clever. Answering machine was hilarious as was the writer's workshop.
I was fortunate enough to hear Paul speak about Sonnet 56 this week and it was interesting as to how much information he has about the different types of poem forms that can followed, also listening to him do a reading of Sonnet 56 was wonderful as well, and how he was inspired to write some of the pieces was great too.
I thought it was really witty and and funny at times, all the while using beautiful language.
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I agree with you on both the superb piece "Answering Machine" and on the tedium often involved in reading poetry. However, it wasn't until I read your post that I realized that during my reading of Sonnet 56, I never considered that I was reading a book of poetry moreso than one idea perceived in many different ways, poetry being one. Rechecking the book, I was rather stunned to realize just how many poems the book contains. I finished a book of peotry and I didn't even feel like a beatnik for it. Awesome.
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