Brian McGackin’s ‘Broetry,’ poems geared towards guys

For many men, the idea of poetry might conjure up nauseating images of rose petals, tears and candlelit dinners. But our young Glendale News-Press books critic is looking to challenge that notion with “Broetry,” released earlier this month by Quirk Books.

In his piece he penned for today’s Huffington Post, Brian McGackin elaborates on his vision:

“‘Broetry’ challenges American males who don’t like poetry to create an alternative. Is there some law that says we aren’t allowed to read and write poems about video games or sci-fi movies? Rap is poetry; in fact, most song lyrics would be considered poetry. Shakespeare was a poet; ‘Romeo & Juliet’ was written in iambic pentameter. Poetry is not the problem. The problem is the way we’ve begun to perceive poetry. We think of it as some lofty art form more at home in a kind of mental museum.”

McGackin will be doing a reading and signing his book tomorrow at Book Soup, where he’ll likely wax poetic about things like french fries, bar fights and frat parties.

In case you’re huddling up in your Carmageddon bunker during the signing, you can hear your local bro on NPR’s All Things Considered tomorrow evening. But there’s an incentive to get your behind out the door: Book Soup will be offering 30% off McGackin’s book the day of the event.

Book Soup, 8818 West Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles; (310) 659-3110; https://www.booksoup.com/