Feeling Is Actual

Poetry. Asian American Studies. In Paolo Javier's THE FEELING IS ACTUAL, he writes: 'I've been / a grand-gesture guy in the past. & in all likelihood, / I will continue to be one in the future.' Javier hits the big notes in this collection: sex, romance, even aging and regret. The poetry often comes in the form of prose, as the discussion of a play or movie takes the place of life, the characters you and I; of humorous investigation, both abroad (the Philippines) and at home (Queens); and of visual poetry, in which comics collide with sly wit. All this with the multi-cultural vantage we expect from the poet, which comes to the fore in later sections, abetted by found images and typography. 'if im like a piece of bok choy / then you are probably / a piece of broccoli. /it's just the communication thing.' Listen to this book, watch it, lap it up--Vincent Katz.