In this, Esad Babačić’s first book of poetry to appear in English, we have a very different and surprising voice emerging from Slovenia.

The closest parallel is the poetry, as much as the attitude, of Charles Bukowski. It’s the voice of the streets and it’s a demotic voice, purged of the sense of the “beautiful.” It could be described as jagged and rough, but done purposely to release poetry from well-worn traditional forms and style.

His is a masterful voice, and one that should be heard and recognized outside of Slovenia, and here translated ingeniously by Andrej Pleterski.