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Almost Conservative

by Andrew Decker

70 pages; quality trade paperback (softcover); catalogue #01-0363; ISBN 1-55212-961-6; US$15.00, C$16.95, EUR12.50, £8.50

This book is a collection of 60 poems on modern neo-political observations and other 'poetry stuff'.

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About the book      About the author      Sample poems      Catalogue info

About the Book Described by critics as, "Don't let the customers read this." And, "Why doesn't he just grow up." Andy Decker's latest work is certain to cause resounding ripples through poetry communities worldwide. With terse sentences, jaded comments, and a word or two you'll have to look up in a dictionary, an occasional eloquence shines through for readers who are neither regular fans of poetry nor apt users of their dictionaries. With this book, Andy Decker is trying to both illustrate and dispel the myth that you can't make money with poetry. "If he breaks even, I'll let him do it again." Said his wife of 10 years. There are about 60 poems in this book. They range from simple observations from Andy's youth all the way up to his current "adult" role in life and the more complex situations he now encounters (like eating lunch at a fast food joint). There are political overtones, common- sense questions, and editorializing commentary on modern American life. This book is hard to describe. I don't think there's a commonality to all the parts, but hopefully some smarty in some college somewhere will criticize and / or anthologize it. The most serious thing I can say about this book is that people have been writing about trees and rain and love since people were writing. That's fine. I do that too. But I think there is now a new set of universals, new long-term stage-props. These are what I've really tried to touch. You're sure to enjoy this new, yet classic work from someone who fails time and time again to take himself seriously enough.

About the Author Andy Decker is a native of Missouri and was born in 1966. He went to High School in Sullivan Missouri. He attained a Bachelor's and a Master's degree in English from Northeast Missouri State University in Kirksville Missouri and, later, a Bachelor's degree in Bible Theology from Midwest Baptist Institute in Morton Illinois. Andy has been married for the past 10 years. He has two beautiful daughters and currently works full-time as a technology and business consultant. Additionally, he pastors LandMark Missionary Baptist church in Bartonville Illinois and has done so for the past six years.

Sample Poems

Thursday Lunch III

Olsen carried a broom
and a black box that could swivel
on a stick.

The hard seats twisted
Olsen stretched between them
gigging for fries and wrappers.

People quieted at his approach
lifted their feet
and adhered to the rules

in a restaurant
where the chairs
are cemented to the floor.

Lots of Sermons

The bible says
not to muzzle the oxen
that treadeth out the corn.
Preachers like this verse
but I've never seen a fat ox.

What? know ye not
that your body is the temple
of the Holy Ghost?
Sometimes we give the Spirit
a grand luxury suite.

All you can eat food bars
and unlimited refills
shed new light
on the Kine of Bashan, cold gross hearts,
and our ability to swallow camels.

Thirst

After all these years I still have this thirst
and there are days when all I want
is a skull-splitting drunk.

I'm London during the war
and the Stukas are dive-bombing
and I need a complete black-out.

I'm in the Sahara
and the sun is baking my brain
and I've stopped sweating.

I'm the witch
and Gretel just shut the oven
and my feet are caught in the grills.

I'm August grass
and the sprinkler doesn't go
because watering is too expensive.

I'm a cup of jello
left overnight in a car
and how I got here I'll never know.

Catalogue Information