My full length poetry collection MEANING IS EMBARRASSING is out!

plus! This Week's Writing 2/7/25

Trying to contemplate domestic animal cuteness rather than freaking out about the end of the republic.

Also! My new poetry collection, Meaning Is Embarrassing is now out from Ranger Press! $15 for paper, OR download for free!

Here are a couple of blurbs about how it is awesome:

Berlatsky's 'Meaning is Embarrassing' is a bold new collection of poetry and quasi-poetic essays that challenge the traditional role of poetry and artistic thinking in the publishing space. Drawing on a thoughtful academic reading of conceptual art modes (like Duchamp's readymades), it turns the poem into a painting that is intellectual, political, satirical, and, well, darn fun to read.

—Lachlan J McDougall, founder and editor of LJMcD Communications

The purpose of a blurb on the back of a book is to grab readers' attention, engage their interest, and compel them to further explore a book's content. This blurb serves as a glowing review and a persuasive summary of this book of conceptual poetry. Thus, this blurb has achieved its goal.

- petro c. k., founder and editor of dadakuku

And here is a representative poem:

One-Liner

___________

So, please consider reading (or even paying for!) my 85 page collection of abstruse avant-garde dad jokes! It is fun! and embarrassing! And there’s a long piece about how Henry Kissinger sucks!

And, here’s what else I published this week.

Politics

Trump goes full colonialist. (Public Notice)

Fascists can be weak and still be fascists. (EIH)

Yes, it’s fascism, Corey Robin, part 2. (EIH)

The bipartisan RFK acclamation that wasn’t. (EIH)

No, we shouldn’t be paying attention to something else. (EIH)

Cultural Criticism

Dog Man is a great nonsense kids’ movie. (Chicago Reader)

De Palma’s Obsession and perverse homage. (Splice Today)

Donald Hall’s weirdest poem, “The Alligator Bride.” (EIH)

Poetry

Did I mention my collection MEANING IS EMBARRASING is out?! (Ranger Press)

An awesome collection of mini absurdist haiku dada goofiness; I wrote the intro and contributed! (Amazon)

“The Best Poem” ever! (Synchronized Chaos)

“Productivity Is Its Own Reward” (Ranger)

Premature spring poem. (Five Fleas)

even inside
the dragon’s belly
it is spring

Little sad poem. (Five Fleas)

if
only
poetry
could
drown
out