WE WILL BE FISH

WE WILL BE FISH by JP King, 101 pgs., PistolPress, 58 Claxton Blvd. Toronto, ON M6C 1L8, pistolpress.com, $12

We Will be Fish is both an art book and a poetry collection. Heavy in illustration and wild in energy and effort, King's work is fresh and irreverent. "I am watching my little brother drop one of those thick, heavy dictionaries with alphabetical indents that we got for Christmas onto the windshield of a car traveling at a speed you wouldn't want to hit anything at." It seems effortless, magical and full of whimsy. "I check for crescent moons of fingernail and spit down a few of my own." The poetry is largely esoteric, bold, courageous and declarative. "She said her arms were real strong, said she was a hoister, said she lost her legs playing in the back of a garbage truck." Very enjoyable. Read the poem 'About the Bees." It's quite good. A mighty debut. (Michael Peckham)