Poetry. "Jensen's work constantly allows itself to move back and forth between the fanciful and the real in an effort to reach that abyss of consciousness which resists any more straightforward method: 'cut it open deeper / try to find a heart in there.' This work is not 'difficult' in the sense of having to look up words or mythological characters in various dictionaries; it does not require footnotes. But it will remind you that the heart is a far more hidden organ than physicians or even lovers believe it to be. Irony, deep laughter, and a kind of dark astonishment pervade everything. AUTO BIO won't leave you laughing; it won't leave you at all: 'my dead god your ghosts / go scurrying along my bloodsteam'"—Jack Foley.

Author City: BERKELEY, CA USA

Dale Jensen was born in Oakland, California, and grew up there. Heavily influenced by the Surrealist movement, he is known internationally as an exponent of the cut-up technique. He edited the poetry magazine Malthus from 1985 through 1989. He has published eight books of poetry, the latest three of which are CYCLONE FENCE (2007), OEDIPUS' FIRST LOVER (2009), and AUTO BIO (2010). His poetry has been published in many magazines and journals including Lost and Found Times, TALISMAN, Convolvulus, Dirigible, The Walrus, Ur-Vox, Poetry East, and many others. He has co-coordinated poetry readings since 1989, and is currently involved in the Last Word Reading Series at Nefeli Caffe in Berkeley.

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