Poetry. In this ecstatic third collection, Michael Cirelli once again flips the cultural zeitgeist on its (gelled and sprayed) head, as he deftly surveys MTV's hit reality show Jersey Shore. In signature Cirelli fashion, he pulls off the unlikely: from defending the Guido and elevating Snooki, to reinterpreting the train wreck of reality stardom "to produce something vital and eye-catching and new" (David Lehman). His lines measure the bitter politics of subculture and assimilation, while finding a humanizing compassion even when everything goes wrong. These are authentically American poems for fans, critics, and even those who have never seen the pop phenomenon known as the Jersey Shore.

Author City: Brooklyn, NY USA

Michael Cirelli is the author of EVERYONE LOVES THE SITUATION (Penmanship Books, 2011), VACATIONS ON THE BLACK STAR LINE (Hanging Loose Press, 2010), and LOBSTER WITH OL' DIRTY BASTARD (Hanging Loose Press, 2008), which was a New York Times best-seller from an independent press and was features in the "Debut Poets" Issue of Poets & Writers magazine. He has also authored two curricula, Poetry Jam (Recorded Books, 2010) and Hip Hop Poetry & The Classics (Milk Mug, 2004), and is the Executive Director of Urban Word NYC. As a performer, he has been a National Poetry Slam finalist and was featured on the HBO series Def Poetry Jam and Brave New Voices. He lives on the moon.

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