Man Overboard
A Tale of Divine Compassion
Published on 16. October 2013
60 pages
978-1-7252-4905-9 (ISBN)
Description
In this suite of dramatic monologues, David Denny reimagines the ancient folktale of Jonah by listening to the voices of its many characters. Jonah and God, of course, remain the two principal players, to be sure. But in Man Overboard we also hear from the sailors of the Tarshish-bound cargo carrier, the storm that overtakes them, the great fish who gives sanctuary to the irascible prophet, indeed the ocean itself, as well as the merchants, courtiers, plants, animals, and king of Nineveh. Drawing upon a close reading of the biblical text, the Jewish tradition of Midrash, and a healthy dose of playful imagination, Denny draws the reader into the story's emotional journey. His poems evoke the concrete reality of the landscape and culture of the historical Near East, while highlighting the central spiritual lessons the tale continues to convey in the postmodern world. The result is a lyric rendition of a classic tale that will appeal to general readers as well as biblical scholars and literary aficionados.
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David Denny is the author of three poetry collections: Man Overboard (Wipf & Stock), Fool in the Attic, and Plebeian on the Front Porch. His short story collection, The Gill Man in Purgatory, is forthcoming from Shanti Arts. Denny's poetry and fiction has appeared widely in journals and magazines, including New Ohio Review, The Sun, Rattle, Atlanta Review, and Stone Voices. He is the recipient of an Artist's Laureate award from Silicon Valley Arts Council and numerous Pushcart nominations. He also served as inaugural Poet Laureate of Cupertino, CA and editor of Bottomfish magazine.
