• After Words; The Pirates (An Introduction); The Pirates: Idiot Big Mouth Leads Us to a Gathering of Birds, Reading Between A&B, June 5, 2006
• After Words; Why I Slept with Him, Beloit Poetry Journal, Vol. 53 Nº3 spring 2003

Bibliography

One can readily see why Gluck might be drawn to this work: it is essential, sometimes cryptic, muscular in its economy, vividly imagistic, and moralistic without being pedantic--much like Gluck's own work, and certainly deserving of this prestigious award. Unlike Gluck's poetry, however, Streckfus's has a conspicuously strong strain of Zen influence. In fact, many of the poems can be read almost as Zen koans. The mix of Orient and Occident is particularly unique here and powerfully attractive.

These final poems strongly suggest Streckfus’s potential for venturing into the more treacherous and sinister alleyways of “magic” and nonsense. He has the self-possession Gluck attributes to him, and if he follows the precedent he sets in the latter poems of The Cuckoo he’ll become something both limpid and lethal. This is the Zen master to whom Gluck incompletely alludes; the master who will beat you if you do not answer his queries on the Buddha-nature and will beat you if you do.

To say nothing of the Sphinx, that other patchwork avian-type. Who, if you met her riddles incorrectly would, with a savage equanimity, fuck your shit right up.

• Art at Our Doorstep: San Antonio Writers and Artists featuring Peter Streckfus. Edited by Nan Cuba and Riley Robinson (Trinity University Press, 2008).