That’ll Leave a Mark

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This debut collection of poetry is a bold exploration of the beauty that can be found in what most people consider ugly. Kevin Schumaker evokes the emotions felt in love unrequited, the loss of those we care most deeply for, the struggle with addiction, the yearning for forgiveness, and the impossibility and necessity of grace. In sum, this collection, coming out of the traditions of existentialism and beat poetry, portrays the angst and longing of the fragile human soul as it is cast into the modern world. Kevin Schumaker draws from influences as diverse as Kierkegaard, Kerouac, Lou Reed, modern comedians, and the monologist Spalding Gray. In doing so, he embraces a rejection of the traditional poetic structure of rhyme, rhythm, and meter to reflect the human experience as it is experienced at the moment. It is a raw and honest presentation of the quest to be comfortable in the world.

Despite its often dark and painful subject matter, Schumaker's poetry is never morose or defeated. By confronting the darkness honestly, Schumaker elevates the profane and shows it to be divine.

This collection includes his essay, "Writing, Dwelling, Art," in which Schumaker conveys his underlying theory of art in general, and poetry in particular, and how it attempts to satisfy the basic human need for connection.