Rick Lupert heads to the ho-lei land in his 26th collection of poetry written (despite the title telling you otherwise) in, and on the way to and from, Oahu Hawaii. With his characteristic wit and occasional bits of wisdom, Lupert’s third eye takes us all over Hawaii’s capital Island experiencing magical fruits, sea turtles, Lost filming locations, at least two luaus, wild-roaming chickens and the sweetest family spirit you can imagine. In Hawaii, as soon as you show up, they declare you are ohana – family. Let these humorous and accessible poems bring you into the family as you contemplate your own visit to paradise.
“[Rick’s] poems are funny, moving, insightful, and full of a traveler’s wonder and bemusement.” -Ianthe Brautigan, author of You Can’t Catch Death: A Daughter’s Memoir Writing Teacher, Sonoma State University
“With equal parts charm and bewilderment, Lupert navigates a cultural panorama with no seam between the intimate and fantastic, the political and absurd” -Brendan Constantine, author of The Opposites Game
“Rick Lupert is a writer’s chef” – Derrick Brown, poet and publisher, Write Bloody Publishing
“…a collection of sharply observed vignettes informed by subtle wit and empathy couched in poetic diction that is clear, concise and profound.” – Richard Modiano, Executive Director Emeritus Beyond Baroque Literary/Arts Center
Paperback, 230 Pages, Ain’t Got No Press, August 2022
Rick Lupert’s 25th collection of poems and latest travelogue written in Japan while visiting Tokyo, Kyoto, and Hiroshima, follows in the footsteps of Richard Brautigan and is loosely inspired by his title The Tokyo-Montana Express. Follow Lupert through Japan with his signature wit and poet’s eye as your guide, as he stands in the mysterious “stick line”, as indescribable food is put in his mouth (and described anyway), as a monkey crawls on his head, as Hiroshima looms at the end of it all.
“[Rick’s] poems are funny, moving, insightful, and full of a traveler’s wonder and bemusement.” -Ianthe Brautigan, author of You Can’t Catch Death: A Daughter’s Memoir Writing Teacher, Sonoma State University
“With equal parts charm and bewilderment, Lupert navigates a cultural panorama with no seam between the intimate and fantastic, the political and absurd” -Brendan Constantine, author of The Opposites Game
“Rick Lupert is a writer’s chef” – Derrick Brown, poet and publisher, Write Bloody Publishing
“…a collection of sharply observed vignettes informed by subtle wit and empathy couched in poetic diction that is clear, concise and profound.” – Richard Modiano, Executive Director Emeritus Beyond Baroque Literary/Arts Center
Paperback, 286 Pages, Ain’t Got No Press, August 2020
Rick Lupert’s 23rd collection of poems and latest travelogue written on the go in Memphis, Nashville, and Louisville. Two music cities, the birthplace of rock and Roll, Martin Luther King’s final steps and barrels full of bourbon are no escape from Lupert’s keen poetic eye and wit.
“One of the smartest, funniest poets around.” -Alexis Rhone Fancher, poetry editor, Cultural Weekly, seven-time Pushcart nominee
“One of my favorite poets” -Amber Tamblyn, author and actress
“Rick Lupert is a writer’s chef” – Derrick Brown, poet and publisher, Write Bloody Publishing
“I know of no other poet able to establish intimacy with the audience as fast as Rick Lupert.” – Brendan Constantine, poet, teacher, Red Hen Press and Write Bloody Publishing.
Paperback, 276 Pages, Ain’t Got No Press, May 2019
Rick Lupert’s 22nd book – a collection of travel poetry written while exploring the Pacific Northwest including stops in Seattle, Washington (where there’s coffee on every corner), Snoqualmie, Washington (better known as Twin Peaks), and Portland, Oregon (where everything is weird and there’s even more coffee on every corner.) Full of Lupert’s signature wit and style, Beautiful Mistakes is part poetry, part humorous travelogue, and all entertaining.
Paperback, 218 Pages, Rothco Press, May 2018
A poem for each of the weekly Torah portions, written by Los Angeles poet Rick Lupert who immersed himself in the weekly text and came out on the other side with a poem that adds humor, modern insight, and “reverent irreverence” to his interpretations of these ancient stories around which modern-day Judaism has developed. This collection of Jewish poetry adds to Lupert’s growing canon of Judaic liturgy interpretations which have found receptive audiences and readers, from all over the world, who are seeking modern interpretations of our oldest text.
With just a few exquisite words, Rick Lupert fills in the white spaces between the Torah’s words, and offers holy insight, life wisdom, reverent irreverence, and sacred depth. It takes a poet to find the poetry of Torah, and a great teacher to share it. Rick is both. His book is a gift to us all.
-Rabbi Ed Feinstein
One can always count on Rick to see things in ways that we would not otherwise have seen them. He has succeeded in finding messages within each parashah that are simultaneously uniquely personal and entirely universal. Humor and depth abound. Rick amplifies the timeless nature of the words of Torah, and fills each page with new perspectives.
-Cantor Ellen Dreskin
Rick Lupert’s poetry is witty, knowing, wise, and a tonic to the seeking soul.
-Rabbi David Wolpe
Paperback, 134 Pages, Ain’t Got No Press, August 2017
Rick Lupert’s 20th book and latest poetic travelogue takes you to the Big Easy, New Orleans, Louisiana and environs where alligators were seen but not eaten, and cocktails were imbibed in the very spots they were invented. Filled with warmth and humor.
Rick Lupert’s latest book is the work of a poet at the height of his powers. Back on the road, this time across the American south, Lupert further refines his singular travelogue style with a delicate balance of reportage, recollection, and lyric introspection. Poems such as ‘Flight Number One, ‘ or ‘Donut Famine, ‘ the title piece of the collection, are downright hilarious. But reader, be prepared for ‘When the Water Comes’ a breathtaking treatment of the Katrina floods and their aftermath. Likewise, ‘At Oak Alley Plantation, ‘ may require a candle and the ear of a strong friend. More than an anthology of latest work, Rick Lupert has given us something rare: a complete experience. All aboard.
Brendan Constantine, author of ‘Dementia, My Darling’
Paperback, 234 Pages, Rothco Press, December 2016
Rick Lupert’s 19th book – a collection of travel poetry written while out and about in Ireland, the nation that invented the color green.
I can’t think of a better book than this to comfort the jetlagged mind of a lonely traveler in a new country. Funny, observant and comforting, “Romancing the Blarney Stone” is a fine read from one of my favorite poets.
Amber Tamblyn, Author + Actress
A Rick Lupert travel book not only shows us the country visited, it shows us the naked absurdity of the world. Romancing the Blarney Stone gives us a detailed, humorous tour of Ireland, full of blarney, a little stoned (various quantities of fine Irish whiskey are consumed), and always entertaining.
G. Murray Thomas, Poet + Editor Next…Poetry Calendar
Paperback, 260 Pages, Rothco Press, December 2016
Rick Lupert’s 18th book – a collection of travel poetry written on the go in the wilds of Burlington, Vermont, Portland, Maine and Hartford Connecticut. Force of Nature, Rick Lupert, and his wise wife, Addie, have been let loose in the Northeast, and the result is poetic mayhem of the highest order. These poems chronicle the couple’s obsession with food, art, architecture, and each other over an action-packed 12-day roadtrip. “I’m following the Vermont food trail/and am about to pray to a donut,” Lupert confesses in “At the Cold Hollow Cider Mill.” A brilliant, beer-fogged take on America by one of the funniest, smartest poets around.
ps. These poems could also be construed as Lupert’s 293 page love letter to his wife.
-Alexis Rhone Fancher, poetry editor, Cultural Weekly, seven-time Pushcart nominee
Every year I look forward to Rick and Addie’s summer vacation. Instead of a slide show or a lousy T-shirt I get another book of poems. What you have in your hands is a travelogue – the newest installment in a series of road books written by Rick Lupert, the minimalist Huell Howser of Van Nuys poetry. Lupert is a comedian with impeccable timing and a poet whose work is deceptively simple. Nestled somewhere underneath the jokes about tour guides, night pavers, Vermont hugs and kisses and Norman Rockwell paintings is an ongoing love story. This is really a book about Rick and Addie. It’s a work that’s underpinned by a depth and decency you don’t see very often in this world, let alone in a book that will make you laugh out loud.
-Daniel McGinn, Author “1000 Black Umbrellas”, Write Bloody Publishing
Paperback, 298 Pages, Rothco Press, December 2016
Rick Lupert’s seventeenth poetry collection, Making Love to the 50 Ft. Woman, is the long awaited follow up to, and first collection of Lupert’s selected works since, 1997’s I am My Own Orange County. Lupert’s poetry exists at the intersections of the wise and the ridiculous, the spectacular and the mundane. The humor and deeper themes throughout his work will win over the generations of people who’ve come to regard poetry as an inaccessible literary art. These poems, written over the last two decades, have been widely published in dozens of journals, zines, and anthologies from all over the world. They’re rooted in the every day Los Angeles experience and take you through fatherhood, traffic, love, death, and the inevitable experience of finding a wrapped sausage on the sidewalk. You’ll learn how to kiss, you’ll meet the cutest leaf in the world, you’ll say goodbye to Peter Seeger and Robin Williams, you may even relive your own childhood. Get ready to Make Love to the Fifty Ft. Woman. Don’t wear anything complicated.
Paperback, 136 Pages, Rothco Press, May 2015
Rick Lupert’s The Gettysburg Undress is a delightful romp through the museums and tourist attractions of the mid-Atlantic States. I found it more believable than Steinbeck’s Travels with Charlie. His wife, Addie, is a more interesting personality by far than a poodle. His observations are written in a minimalist style which is a cross between Basho and Brautigan. Each poem is a tiny masterpiece. Some poems, like “Animal Hospital,” strike a ghostly chord. His humor is inclusive, making the reader part of the mission – to bring the fun back to poetry by entertaining the heck out of you, plus making you think about the world.
Hal Sirowitz former Poet Laureate of Queens, New York
Paperback, 210 Pages, Rothco Press, September 2014
Nothing in New England is New is Rick Lupert’s 15th collection of poetry and latest in his poetic travelogue series. This edition takes you through such exotic American locations as Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Salem, Boston and Plymouth, Massachusetts, and Providence Rhode Island where they set the river on fire. Ride with Lupert’s trademark wit down the highways of New England. Unexpected turns will be taken, Ekphrastic Observations will be made. You will laugh. You will question your own underwear. You will want to set your local river on fire. As always, clothing is optional.
Paperback, 200 Pages, Ain’t Got No Press, March 2013
This is travelogue poetry for the 21st century. I have long been a fan of Rick Lupert’s spare and ironic poetry and delight in witnessing its evolutions from book to book. In Death of a Mauve Bat, his 14th collection, he continues to refine his singular style, summoning verse at once astounding in its simplicity and richly humane. I know of no other poet able to establish intimacy with the reader as fast as Lupert. If this is your first experience of his work, I urge you to receive him as you would any friend of a friend. ~ Brendan Constantine The first time I ever heard Rick Lupert read his work in public – maybe the first time he ever had – it was already abundantly clear that he was one of the most gifted humorous poets on the planet (Earth, that is, since we are already being urged to move to another as soon as we can afford to do so.) He is also a master of conciseness, which appeals to me since my attention span has, with age, devolved to one-word poems of no more than one syllable. He is also a master of two types of poems to which I have myself either progressed or regressed or egressed (which is what I guess egrets do): the travel sequence and the ekphrastic meditation. And he’s as generous with his time and talents in support of fellow poets of anyone I know. Read this latest book – read all his books – and try to catch a performance of his as well. He’s one of a kind. ~ Gerald Locklin
Paperback, 160 Pages, Ain’t Got No Press, January 2012
Rick Lupert’s 13th collection of poetry, written during a week-long adventure in, and on the way to and from, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Rivers are crossed, food is eaten, French is spoken, art is looked at…and it is all disassembled with Lupert’s characteristic wit. This poetic travelogue is a must for fans of Lupert’s work and anyone who is considering travelling to Montreal…or who has ever been…or who has ever heard the word “Montreal.” Sinzibuckwud is the native Canadian word for “Drawn from Wood”…as in maple syrup. Sweetness is also drawn from these poems…Sugar off with Lupert.
Paperback, 106 Pages, Ain’t Got No Press, December 2010
A new collection of humorous European poetry from poetic observationalist Rick Lupert, master of the poetic travelogue. Join Rick as he travels through Amsterdam with Rembrandt and Van Gough and discovers his hesitance with the city’s slogan “I Am Amsterdam.” Taste Belgium’s chocolate and beer in the cities of Brussels and Brugge (that’s how THEY spell it.) Stop in to Magritte’s house. Re-visit Paris, its cheese. its Monet, its wild eyed man with a giant toothbrush in Montmartre. Travel through Europe with Rick Lupert as his wife earnestly tries to get the pen away from him. Rediscover your poetic sense of humor…put these poems in your mouth.
Paperback, 110 Pages, Ain’t Got No Press, December 2009
Someone recently described reading Rick Lupert’s work as a similar experience to getting kicked in the teeth. He responded by recommending a good dentist. This was a sham as he had not been to the dentist in several years. The best he could do would be to front with 1-800-DENTIST and hope for the best. By the way, this book was not endorsed by 1-800-DENTIST but the author wishes them the best. What exactly does it mean to be one’s own Orange County? It’s about being self critical. When you read your poetry in Orange County, you’ll find the audience more interactive; often critiquing your poem outloud while you read it. (It’s not that he doesn’t think dental hygiene is important. He brushes and flosses every day. His teeth are fine. He has no problem smiling with his mouth open. In fact, he is doing so right now.) This is Lupert’s second book. It features many of the poems he’d had published various places, as well as things so special that only he agreed to publish them.
Paperback, 124 Pages, Ain’t Got No Press, November 2008
A reverse trip through the American Revolution starting in Boston and then quickly heading to London through the Lupert filter. Wry observational poetry experienced through rides on the Tube, a fake axe, and a healthy sampling of beer. The essential poetic travel guide through London.
Paperback, 52 Pages, Ain’t Got No Press, May 2007
100 pages of new poems written in love in some of the most amazing places on earth. A full length collection of travel-poetry from Los Angeles poet Rick Lupert written in the author’s witty, surreal, and accessible style.
Paperback, 100 Pages, Ain’t Got No Press, January 2006
Humorous travel poems written through the author’s unique filter. From the introduction by Brendan Constantine: “Rick Lupert is an honest poet. He has an honest face. His mouth is honest. His words are honest. The sentences he makes with those words are honest. Even the complete fabrications that emerge from the pages of his latest book positively sizzle with integrity. When, for instance, he describes his recent trip to England and the fascinating encounters he has with the people of that proud country, you can almost believe that he went there. My Irish mother used to say (the others hardly spoke to me unless I pretended to be my sister) ‘There is nothing crazy about thinking there are Englishmen hiding behind the sofa. The craziness is in looking for them’. Well folks, so keen are the subtleties of Mr. Lupert’s poetry, the reader may wonder if closing the cover of this slender book is enough to keep the British Commonwealth described therein from running amuck in your home.”
Paperback, 64 Pages, Ain’t Got No Press, May 2003
Rick is a poet with a real genius for the subtle ironic humor of absurd situations. He holds all the wild cards. He even violates the rules of agreement in the next to last line of Freeway of Love – to underline the aesthetic paradox of “relationship” in a universe of radical solpsism. And that is truly surreal. People are travelling everywhere in this book: Chicago, San Francisco, Istanbul. But the best trip of all is the fishing poem: an hallucinatory plunge into the chthonic troustream of the imagination. If you’re already a Rick Lupert fan,you’ve got to have this book: you can’t possibly live without it. If you’re not yet familiar with his work, buy it, read it, and fall in love. You’ll soon find yourself stalking him outside of the Poetry Super Highway studios just to get a fleeting glimpse of his shadow. You’ll send him emails, begging to take care of the cat while he goes on vacation. Etc. This is a classic. ~ Pat Cohee, September 2001
Paperback, 32 Pages, Ain’t Got No Press, September 2001
Poetry written on a 10 day trip to Israel by Los Angeles humorous, observationalist poet Rick Lupert. From the introduction: Sunday December 26, 1999 I received a phone call from one of my co-workers asking if I could leave for Israel three days later because she was sick and couldn’t go. A solid three seconds of thought later I had determined that there was absolutely no reason why I couldn’t. So I did. And there I was for ten days leading a group of college students around the Holy Land with my guitar at hand and cats everywhere. This book isn’t really about the cats, but trust me, they were there; at the Western Wall, on top of Masada, in front of the desert hotel at four in the morning, and outside of Mr. Li’s Kosher Chinese Food restaurant in Jerusalem. What can one say? “Meow,” I suppose. Israel is an amazing country. At any location you are a stone’s throw from several other countries. If you’ve ever watched the news, you know that sometimes stones are thrown.
Paperback, 42 Pages, Ain’t Got No Press, May 2001
It was time to visit the big city. Sure, the city I live in is bigger; but that’s not important. New York is the BIG CITY…it’s certainly taller than Los Angeles. There’s a lot to be said for compacting everything onto an island. Feel free to say any of those things. I’m not going to say them for you. Opinions are expensive in these parts. Send me a dollar, and I’ll tell you what I think. I like Islands. Brooklyn is not an Island. There is fabulous Mexican food there. The kind of food you wouldn’t find on an island. The kind of food I wouldn’t expect to find east of Arizona. So meet my trip to New York City. Someone once said to me “Oh you with your books about the places you’ve been.” It’s true. New York is a place, and I have been there, and this book is all poems that I wrote there, except for the last two which I wrote in New Jersey, and the first few which I wrote on the way there. But the rest of them in the middle…oh yes, those were written in New York City.
Paperback, 52 Pages, Ain’t Got No Press, March 2001
Selected poems written from the Lupert perspective inspired by (and sometimes loosely so) the experience of being Jewish. Includes the humorous classics “I Come From Eastern Europe (I’ve got so much body hair, it’s not even funny)” and “Debbie Friedman The Cat.” Rick Lupert has been sharing these poems with delighted audiences for years.
Paperback, 36 Pages, Ain’t Got No Press, May 2000
From the introduction: “Why Fargo” you may ask. And I say, you might as well ask “Why oxygen? Why watermelon? Why cats? Why monkeys? Why Sartre? Why candles? Why french fries? Why the I-Ching?” There are many questions which could be asked. Few, if any, will be answered in this book. But I will say this. Damn straight Fargo. Rick Lupert’s wry, dry, observational poetry, written during 4 nights in Fargo, North Dakota. A tale of a town, a family and a girl. Lupert’s humorous verse delights and heartens as we see Fargo through his eyes. Wander through a field of sunflowers. Be sure to keep your clothes on.
Paperback, 48 Pages, Ain’t Got No Press, December 1998
