I started reading Eileen Myles in 2019 — I’m not quite sure how I happened onto the book, but the first one I read was Chelsea Girls (which I read on my phone), and then I got some poetry collections (which I also read on my phone). I suspect that I may just have found the name of that first book intriguing? I’m always up for reading stuff about New York, and Manhattan in particular.
Anyway, I’ve slowly been reading my way through these books in approx. random order — and now there’s this collection, which is from the 80s.
And it’s pretty great. The first poem here is amazing, I think, and there’s a reason they put it first. But it’s all good. I love the 80s New Yorkiness of it all. It’s funny and it’s direct.
Not Me (1991) by Eileen Myles (buy used, 4.28 on Goodreads)