American Sonnet

Half Inch Press is proud to present John Martino's debut book American Sonnet a rapid-fire series of poems that come together to form a verbal collage of pop culture. Drawing upon ads fads snatches of songs flunkies junkies neo-punks and wrong-headed political punditry Martino slices splices and otherwise Americanizes history itself into one part satire the other part even more satire. These well-honed poems sing over amplifier distortion and feedback fuzz necessary lyrics the kind radio can't or won't play. This isn't an Italian or English sonnet; it's the American Sonnet-rude crude and very loud.