Ugly Duckling Presse | Hallelujah, I'm a Bum

Hallelujah, I'm a Bum

Callie Garnett

illustrated by Tallulah Pomeroy

Poetry | $12 $9

Fall 2015

Out of Print

Press Release (PDF)

"...a fairytale catnap of “loose arousal” in a field where the bums are always winning."—Alli Warren

Hallelujah, I'm a Bum is an old rag bearing new news. Taking its title from Al Jolson's Depression-era musical about a "happy hobo" occupying Central Park, this collection sends his tin-pan patter clattering into wholly novel regions of our current evening.Excerpt ˇ

Excerpt

Last night I dreamt again of ad Santa

His blonde locks tumbled from the hat like fake chest hair

Around him we stood ourselves

In loose arousal

We probably will have to raft.Close ˆ

About the Author

Callie Garnett was born and raised in Brooklyn. Having completed a masters in English from the University of Iowa, she now works for Bloomsbury Publishing. Hallelujah, I'm a Bum is her first published collection.

Other Contributors

Tallulah Pomeroy is an illustrator from England. She interned at Ugly Duckling Presse, and then worked as Production Apprentice. Hallelujah I'm a Bum is her first illustrated book. See her drawings at tallulahpomeroy.co.uk or @tallulahpom.

Book Details

Chapbook
Stapled pamphlet in vellum envelope. 32 pp, 6 x 9 in.
Publication Date: September 1, 2015
Distribution: Direct only

Advance Praise

When I was a kid, those around me used “bum” as hate speech, which was just one slur on a long and vicious list (I’m so bored with the U.S.A.). So I’m happy that Callie Garnett’s Hallelujah, I’m a Bum celebrates all manner of bumming (linguistic, logical) with these playful, surreal songs. Read this chapbook to take a fairytale catnap of “loose arousal” in a field where the bums are always winning.—Alli Warren

This is a seriously scrappy poem. Garnett's ear and humor and ear for humor delight and estrange-- she peals apart the whole bum thing then throws it right back at and on you. Hallelujah! "Heaven no more understand."—Rod Smith