Tyler Dempsey reading two of his poems
Channel: Book Merah
Date: 2020-05-02

Tyler Dempsey reading 'Protein' and '150 MPH Winds' from Newspaper Drumsticks (published by Book Merah).Newspaper Drumsticks has been very well received, not just by fellow poets, but by those who normally do not read poetry.
FROM AMAZON
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Tyler Dempsey is an award winning poet. His brother is in prison. This collection of poems was "curated " from the letters Tyler received. The poems are sparse, yet harshly lush; full of observations, regret, love and hope. Even a bit of humor. Includes a recipe for Not Pizza.
REVIEWS
This book was released at an incredibly unique time in history. During our shelter-in-place, many consider themselves to be in imprisoned. These words from a man truly locked up offer a heartbreaking glimpse into the true life with no freedom. I was able to imagine so much from such a small insight into prison life.

Everyone of us have done something they could've been incarcerated for. Whether it was drinking and driving, but we just didn't happen to hit someone, or possessing a small amount of marijuana (an African-American woman in Oklahoma is doing 10+ years for $30 worth of weed). We could all be in Travis' shoes, making these poems that much more poignant. I shed some tears. Thanks to the author for sharing these brotherly musings.
Gade Hays
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 Found poems on a life's lost direction
Reviewed in the United States on April 29, 2020
Tyler Dempsey's Newspaper Drumsticks: Poems sent to a brother in Alaska from a prison in Oklahoma (Book Merah) is an intriguing collection of found poems drawn from letters to Dempsey from his brother Travis. By limiting the reader's view, the poems are effectively elevated above any distractions, giving greater weight to their chosen subjects. Prison life isn't easy or pleasant, and Travis candidly reflects on his responsibility for his lot:

     I’m a loser.
 
Your life thrusts        forward,
 
  mine  
     increasingly
  torpid.

What Travis' letters and Tyler's editing of them accomplishes, however, is to emphasize humanity under the circumstances of incarceration. The prisoner empathizes with the protagonist in Groundhog Day:

Try to  laugh  
              stay
positive.
 
     Contagious
                place.
 
  Same scenery  
          food,
clothes  
 
             day        
  over and over. Poor Bill Murray.

And at the same time looks inward to recognize what it is he desires most:

 For the first time
        I can see
 
what I easily   neglected.
 
Aspects
     in my life
took for granted,
 
  now   the things I really long for.

Travis is to be commended for speaking freely, and for how he presents his brother's voice. I strongly recommend their efforts to the reader.

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The reviewer: Lennart Lundh is a poet, photographer, short-fictionist, and historian. His work has appeared internationally since 1965.