Gigs

Blues in D minor, big bellies over factory belts, and Elvis Presley license plates-Gigs is a collection of poems that shows us the gentle beauty of ordinary life. Davis's language breathes without labor. His metaphors fit tight. And the rhythm of each word keeps pace with our innermost beats. Absolutely every poem in this poetry book hammers a rightly strung chord.The lines in John Davis's poems saunter and slide with a rhythm that shows music is the heartbeat and blood of his life. It carries him through youth in the ‘50s an&dgrave;60s, through his work in a garage door factory, and even through a snowstorm as it keeps him from freezing when he helps a friend move. And it carries him to poetry. It leads him in the direction of an answer when, in Letter to the Big Belly, he asks, How did you know/every man needs a song to forgive himself? His music turns his walking into dance. As he says in 45′s, We danced, going on like a shoreline. And the reader dances along the sand beside him.-Michael Spence, author of Crush Deep and The SpineYou don't need to be a millionaire to enjoy the best of life, Gigs is a collection of poetry focusing on the simpler things and how to enjoy them. Davis speaks plainly yet beautifully, and makes Gigs a fine pick.-Midwest Book Review