Downtown Revival
Poems 1994-1997
by
Book Details
About the Book
The second collection of poetry to be released by Thomas Porky McDonald, Downtown Revival: Poems 1994-1997, covers the poet’s most focused and (arguably) prolific period. Written directly after returning to Downtown Brooklyn following a protracted suspension from work, Homestand opens this collection with a number of personal pieces. “For Ever Friends”, “All These Eternities” and “Single Santa Fe Car”, as well as the title piece, show the poet’s appreciation for both the concept and the reality of home. McDonald continues in this vein in Trolley Tracks, another collection that speaks to the inner soul of the man. “She Smiles For You Ever”, “Once Upon a Time on a Platform” and “As the Pink Grayer Grays” live in reflective glances that are obviously revered by the poet.
Ramble Poets, which McDonald himself considers his most structured and polished book of poems, goes back to the ballpark, in a way that is reminiscent of his first two poem books, Second…to Verse and Eternal Postcards. Along with baseball pieces like “Safe Harbor” and “September Rain”, Ramble Poets also contains a long list of thought-provoking verses, most notably “Cross on the Red”, “When the Day Comes” and “Bleary-eyed Milkmen.”
The final two books that appear in Downtown Revival are Gravy Man and Universal Loner, which appear semi-autobiographical in nature. Gravy Man, in many ways as reflective as Ramble Poets, features some nostalgic material, like “Time Induced Lies”, “Hey Jack Ruby”, “P.S. 6 is a Parking Lot” and “
About the Author
Thomas Porky McDonald is a poet and writer who often uses baseball and the ballpark venue to relay his views on life, in general. His most recent release, Series Endings…a Whimsical Look at the Final Plays of Baseball’s Fall Classic, 1903-2003, was a distinctly different view of baseball’s modern World Series than most informational volumes of that American icon usually are. A previous work, Where the Angels Bow to the Grass, A Boy’s Memoir, taken mainly from the writers’ childhood days of the 1960’s and 70’s, described the bond between McDonald and his father, Bill “The Chief” McDonald. In addition, his three-book anthology Irishman’s Tribute series, which paid homage to many heroes of the past, also honored his father, the de facto Irishman noted in the titles of this collection. An Irishman’s Tribute to the Negro Leagues, Over the Shoulder and Plant on One: An Irishman’s Tribute to Willie Mays and Hit Sign, Win Suit: An Irishman’s Tribute to Ebbets Field each contained short stories and historical material, as well as a small dose of McDonald’s trademark baseball poetry. McDonald has also published a book of short stories, Paradise Oval, and his unique New Yorkers take on 9/11, The Air That September, which gave an even deeper look into the soul of this most passionate writer. Downtown Revival: Poems 1994-1997, is his second of four poetry collections, which will collectively span the decade of the 1990’s. The first collection, Ground Pork: Poems 1989-1994, was released in 2002, and the remaining volumes, Closer to Rona: Poems 1997-1999 and Still Chuckin’’ Poems 1999-2002, will arrive in the very near future. Born in