The poetry of Ranger A. Tad Strange explores with honesty and humor the nature of what it means to be human. Just like the incredibly excellent artwork of St. George now on sale during the month of July at the Open Eye Gallery in the heart of Paris, the Paris of the South, that is, in Carrboro, next to the Wendy's across the street from the grocery store where the dervishes do the do. It's like a fairytale because our friend the Saint has a second wonderful show at Jack Sprat in Chapel Hill, not to mention the wonderful new shows in in Durham's arts' quarter at Bean Traders and Joe Van Gogh, located so close to East Campus where all the cool people are. Big abstract expressionist pieces about dachshunds, goats, lobsters, birds, whale, a fox, a doggie, a snake, and Bella Abzug, the obnoxious chapeau-topped feminist Congresswoman who is dead. It's called "The Eternal Youth Now" show, and who couldn't want a little bit of that in their lives! I know I would. You can see all of my good close friend St. George's work here. He's a wonderful fellow. In any event, as I was saying, by observing our animal friends—be they fluffy or foul or fowl, Strange (that's me!) reveals their not-so-strange kinship with us all too often not-so-wise homo sapiens. His work is extraordinary in scope, delving from the mating habits of iguanas to the wrath of lions and the frightfully sinister flutterings of white moths.
A. Tad Strange is the Norm D. Plume of Jacques Outré, a native of Tahiti. The great-great-great grandson of Queen Pomare IV and French Admiral Dupetit Thouars, he is at One (Taini-kai) with the angle of the galactic plane and was purified at Taputapu-atea Mara-e on Raiatea. As a child, he lived under the stars and under their protection. He wore no shoes until age 17 when he underwent the traditional tattoo lacing ceremony. After several years as a Air Tahiti Nui yoga/Pilates instructor, he emigrated to America.
Forbidden to return home or ever to view sacred Mt. Orohena, he now spends his summers in Isle Royale National Park in the middle of blustry Lake Superior where he is a warmly-dressed United States Park Ranger and Moose Warden. In the autumn and winter, Outré follows the geese and the constellation Virgo down the Mississippi in a pinebark canoe, often traveling with John McPhee, an expert on oranges, rocks, Clorox bleach, coal trains, and nuclear power. Thence eastward he rambles on Interstates 40 and 95 to the Okefenokee Swamp where he teaches Literary Poetics at the Mamzelle Hepzibah School for Girls. He likes the Atchafalaya Basin as well, but has not been there recently, due to an inclement polar alignment of Turtle-boy and Hotua matua.
The fields and forests, the valleys and the mountains, the oceans' depths—all call Strange to rejoice.
This newly updated and revised selection Outré's Strange and outré poetry showcases some of Strange’s most strange work and provides an indispensable bouillabaisse-type olla podrida entreé into a pacific world that is most indubitably indubitable.
The American Poetry Association is proud to have published Strange's other books, including "Beaks, Cheeks, and Skinks" (APA, 2001, Out of Print); "Things That Crawl" (APA, 2003, Out of Print); "Tahiti te Pota Ure (Penis in the Taro Leaves) (APA, 1999, Out of Print); and "Atchafalaya—Why Ya?" (APA, 2005, Out of Print). His poems have also appeared in Eleven Thursdays Gazette, The Eff Review, Arkansas Poetics, and The New Yorker. The American Poetry Association is proud to publish his latest collection "Beastly Bestiary," an ark of animalia (available immediately via Amazon Books).
Mr. Strange, if on dry land, may be reached at a.tad.strange@icx.net.
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COMING SOON: Hear A. Tad. Strange Recite! See Strange's Nick at Night Interview!
Plus!....A new poetic work every Wednesday, mostly.
ALSO! COMING SOONER!
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