{"id":4831,"date":"2020-11-06T21:40:59","date_gmt":"2020-11-07T05:40:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lummoxpress.com\/lc\/?post_type=product&p=4831"},"modified":"2020-11-18T21:35:54","modified_gmt":"2020-11-19T05:35:54","slug":"last-man-standing","status":"publish","type":"product","link":"https:\/\/www.lummoxpress.com\/lc\/product\/last-man-standing\/","title":{"rendered":"Last Man Standing"},"content":{"rendered":"

LAST MAN STANDING <\/strong>(the title poem appears above) could be a crazy memoir of Alan’s 35 years in the barman\/bartender business; but it is also a testimonial to his story telling abilities… consider the poem, Dead Enders<\/strong>…<\/p>\n

Dead Enders
\n<\/strong><\/em>
\n They were coasting the long<\/em>
\n unlighted downhill, engine off,<\/em>
\n headlamps out, the guy in driver\u2019s<\/em>
\n seat holding on to the wheel as if<\/em>
\n it could provide life support, wasted<\/em>
\n out of his mind, the others in varying<\/em>
\n degrees of unconsciousness, driver<\/em>
\n telling the other clowns not to breathe<\/em>
\n so much the inside windows were<\/em>
\n fogging so he couldn\u2019t see a damned<\/em>
\n thing through the ice on the windshield,<\/em>
\n gas gauge way below empty, near-bald<\/em>
\n tires sliding on slick patches of black<\/em>
\n ice; the moonlight on dented guard rails<\/em>
\n in the hard curving dark.<\/em><\/p>\n

Here, he builds you up to a crescendo, describing the scenery, the structural integrity of the storyline and then, almost matter of factly, he tosses out a clue as to what’s led up to this point in time.<\/p>\n

This is an excellent book full of poetry that is, at times, dead pan it its delivery and at other times, almost sardonic. Alan has a dry sense of humor; one expects this from a man who was the confidant to countless intoxicated patrons and an observer of 35 years of sad examples of the human race!<\/p>\n

Alan Catlin has been part of the small press scene for over forty years. During that time he has watched the evolution of the alternative presses from mimeographs to online publishing. His rich publishing history includes venerable small press standards such as the Wormwood Review. He considers that having two of his books considered the most neglected book of the year by Marvin Malone, legendary editor of Wormwood, his highest honor. One of his claims to fame is that he is only poet ever to have been published by Street Bagel, Poked with Sticks, Comet Halley, The Literary Review, Descant, The Seattle Review and Wordsworth\u2019s Socks. Among his many full length books and chapbooks are: Visiting Day on the Psychiatric Ward, Self Portrait of the Artist Afraid of His Self Portrait, The legendary Killer Drinks Series which includes a little red book (Lummox Press), Death and Transfiguration Cocktail, Alien Nation and Beautiful Mutants. He is a retired professional barman who can now claim to be a full time working poet with a straight face and mean it.<\/p>\n

Listen to Alan do his thing.<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Read a sample from Last Man Standing<\/a>\u2026<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

ISBN 978-1-929878-53-6
\n162 pages, 6 X 9 inches, Trade Paper<\/strong><\/p>\n

By Alan Catlin
\n<\/span><\/h5>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s ride the angels goodbye.\u201d<\/em>
\n \u2014Jack Micheline<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Just before the bar war to end all<\/em>
\n bar wars, the girl with an unbreakable<\/em>
\n heart leaned over the bar, ripped<\/em>
\n the buttons off her shirt and said,<\/em>
\n \u201cI don\u2019t need no ink or silicone to<\/em>
\n prove I\u2019m a 100% Grade A<\/em>
\n American Babe.\u201d<\/em>
\n The way she said it seemed more<\/em>
\n like a statement of fact than an offer<\/em>
\n or a dare: regardless, no one was<\/em>
\n inclined to disagree. So the barman<\/em>
\n was thinking, momentarily distracted<\/em>
\n before the overhead rail lights were<\/em>
\n pulled down, long neck Buds hit the back<\/em>
\n bar bottles and wall to wall chaos ensued:<\/em>
\n a flash flood of violence taking out<\/em>
\n everything in its way. If this were<\/em>
\n an indie movie all these bodies in motion<\/em>
\n would be slowed to half speed,<\/em>
\n made into a grotesque ballet,<\/em>
\n a techno Rave with flickering lights<\/em>
\n momentarily revealing distorted faces,<\/em>
\n flexing muscles, a strange, almost<\/em>
\n beautiful, mise en scene only a 911<\/em>
\n call could interrupt, could make complete,<\/em>
\n with police whistles, drawn truncheons,<\/em>
\n and Taser light shows; but it wasn\u2019t<\/em>
\n a movie, only something like real life.<\/em>
\n Hours after, the blood dries on<\/em>
\n the hardwood floors, the click of<\/em>
\n the muted jukebox cycling most<\/em>
\n played songs, priming the invisible<\/em>
\n crowds, and an almost suffocating<\/em>
\n rush of forced wet air as the lifeless<\/em>
\n night turns into day. The last man<\/em>
\n standing behind the bar sips his<\/em>
\n bottomless pint, and cut glass shots,<\/em>
\n through a short straw, dulled pains slowly<\/em>
\n ebbing into an alcoholic daze. \u2014 <\/em>Alan Catlin<\/p>\n

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