Rockabilly Haiku & Swingin’ Tails bridges East and West.
What does music that originated in the Appalachian hills have in common with Eastern philosophy and young Asian greasers?
Quite a bit, as it turns out. And a new book by Albert Difilippantonio, Jr., will leave you wondering how you ever doubted the connection.
In Rockabilly Haiku & Swingin’ Tails (48 pp., $14.50), a collection of haiku poems, a short story and campy illustrations, Difilippantonio weaves a tale that spans generations, continents and cultures—and leaves the reader with a sense of wonder at the way it all fits together.
This is the first collection of published material by Difilippantonio, whose memoir pieces appeared previously in The Sun magazine.
Carole J. Heffley, writing in The Irregular, an arts and culture newspaper based in Easton, Pa. (Difilippantonio’s hometown), says: “…it is best to forget ‘haiku’ in Mr. D’s work and enjoy the poems for what they are: pulsating, pushing the envelope, gyrating little poetic snapshots of life that rock.”
In Rockabilly Haiku & Swingin’ Tails, Difilippantonio leads the reader from the early days of rural Appalachian music through its evolution into blues, jazz, rock ’n’ roll, and rockabilly—all while drawing upon references to Elvis, Buddha and Lao Tzu, the Chinese Taoist philosopher of the 6th century B.C.E.
Playwright and novelist William Marley says: “Albert Difilippantonio, Jr., has taken a classic Asian poetic form and staked his claim, imbuing it with rockabilly humor, sexual energy, and wisdom.”
A recent graduate of the creative writing graduate program at Wilkes University, Difilippantonio currently makes his home in Singapore, where he is at work on a forthcoming novel.
Visit http://rockabilly-haiku.com/ for more information and to order. Rockabilly Haiku & Swingin’ Tails (ISBN 978-1-61658-979-0) is also available at Amazon.com.
To arrange a book signing or interview, contact Albert Difilippantonio, Jr., at albert@rockabilly-haiku.com.
