One-Night Stand and Other Poems

Im a big fan of Arnold Schwabs poems -- devilishly clever, and revealing, to say the least! As a ninety year old myself who hangs on to his sexuality, I give a cheer to another ninety year old who refuses to allow himself to be neutered by societys ageist prejudices and writes about his sexuality. I cant praise enough these skilful, entertaining poems that invite us to peer in through his bedroom window -- and theres plenty going on there! -Edward Field I love reading Arnold Schwabs poetry, and you will too. Witty, bracing, sexy, elegant, self-deprecating, but always honest, his verse covers a full range of human experience with a kind eye and understanding heart. As a craftsman in the art of poetry, hes stingy with words, choosing only the fittest. Lucky reader, see for yourself. -Leslie B. Mittleman Emeritus Professor of English, CSULB If A. E. Housman were alive in the past three decades, he would have welcomed Arnold Schwabs keenly crafted and frank observations on life as an aging gay man. Literate, ironic, humorous, and at times poignant, these poems are a welcome addition to the canon of 21st-century poetry. Readers of any sexual orientation will find something in them to cherish and relate to. -Clifton Snider While most writers are past their creative momentum in their eighties, Arnold Schwabs pen does not run dry. Well into his nineties he continues to write poems with news that stays news, contemplating among other themes loves that might have been, and recording underexplored frontiers of gay experience in old age. Saturated with ever present irony and humor paired with self-knowledge and expert skills, Schwabs use of vocabulary, rhyme, and meter creates a generous legacy that contributes to our knowledge of the gay human condition from youth to advanced old age. The range of themes in this collection is as impressive as the span of decades and the cultural changes it addresses. -James Benedict, PhD