Beachhead sustainer and poet Sherman Pearl has written a new book of poetry. Profanities is the name of the book and the hook that ties the poems together. Even so, Pearl rises above the everyday profanities of life in ways that make many of the poems quite uplifting.

The Beachhead printed one of the included poems, Auction, in its January issue. The remaining 28 poems are likely to be new to our readers. Some of the titles include: The Big Lie, The Last Speaker of Amurdag, Demolition Derby, To the Vagrant Who Shit in My Yard, I Read the News Today Oh Boy, and To the Vanishing Bees.

Sherman Pearl’s writing will stick to your ribs. He’s been writing poetry for a good many years and knows his craft. Long after you think you’ve forgotten the poem, something you come across will remind you of it. That’s not bad when you consider the price per poem in this $12 book is only 41 cents. For a taste, read To the Guy Who Painted Graffiti on the Freeway Overpass in this issue of the Beachhead.

Profanities can be obtained at the Beyond Baroque bookstore at 681 Venice Blvd.

       –Jim Smith