The Perry Square Gospels: Poems

By Geoff Peterson

"The Perry Square Gospels", an utterly strange and beguiling collection from Geoff Peterson, is a study in mortality and the religion of lost childhood--made available by visiting the shrines of one's youth, either in pilgrimage or in memory. Peterson sings what ancient Homer knew: that you must go home and beat the baddest ass in memory before you are free.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Oct 8, 2012
• ISBN: 9781481701891

Geoff Peterson

Born just after World War II, Peterson inherited his mother's nervous system and went on to memorize and perform poetry in a lyric vein for family and card parties. Raised Catholic, the boy learned the value of dreams, visions, and the soothing aspects of prayer in unison. He later earned degrees in Literature and Writing at Eastern Washington University, and served as poetry editor for Willow Springs Magazine. With the publication of his first novel in 1989, Peterson turned his back on mainstream publishing and has not looked back. Since 2007 he has published nearly thirty books of poetry and fiction. He lives in the Southwest and still gets around.

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© 2012 by Geoff Peterson. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Photo Credits: View from the Artist’s Window (front cover)

                  Text & Light (back cover)

                  © geoff peterson, 2012

Published by AuthorHouse 10/02/2012

ISBN: 978-1-4772-7790-4 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4817-0189-1 (ebook)

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Contents

Chorus:

The Perry Square Gospels

Next Stop Erie

Training Camp

Airline Dreams

The Girl Don’t Get It

Margot’s Brew

Household

The Way Out

My Last Flight

This

Graduate

Mythologie

In Absentia

Talk Radio

Crime Scene

A Cup of Coffee

My Distress

Asylum

Lighthouse St.

The World to Come

Idyll

Erie

Bedbugs

Making Connections

The Natives

Last Will/Testament

Winter Rites

Sunday

Return Voyage

Woman in the Book

The Promise

The Painting in Aunt Minnie’s House

The Latest Update

Falsified Documents

As You Wish

Rock of Ages

of Sound Mind & Body

The Dead Sea

The Year of Rebuilding

Dream Work

Blame: A Heresy

The Census

Baby I’m Tired

American Story

My 45th Class Reunion

The Lamb of God

Dipso Factoid

Craftsmanship

My Old Life

Latest Episode

Hunger on the Rise

August, 3 a.m.

Deuteronomy

Sunday Bulletin

Prodigal

Wings

Meeting Margot at the Salon

Literacy

The Occupation

Tony & Cyd

Today’s Gospel: 8-26-12

Choir Practice

Driving My Daughter to College

Audition

Hell Realm

The Old Neighborhood

Jihad

Presque Isle

Bayfront Connector

The Apparition of Our Lady

Golden Days

Radio Shack

Gavel to Gavel at the RNC in Tampa

Driving Mitch to his Appointment

The Richford Arms

Car Show

Body Memory

Bringing up Baby

Cloud Journal

Eucharist

Tenants

at a Matinee of the Restored Chinatown . . .

Tormented

Dream Detective

Home Boys

Liturgy of the Inward

Christ the King Chapel

Night Drive

My English Teacher

Joe D.

About the Author

This book is dedicated to Willie Dixon, carrier, Erie Times-News

Every soul its own betrayal factory.

—Philip Roth,

I Married a Communist

Chorus:

When I heard my heart sing

I entered a country of ordinary men

who rose each morning

intent on laughter

and offered their hearts with their hands . . .

In these last days I will grow tomatoes

and recover