Dear Selection Committee

OMG, this book: Amazing. First poem floored me ... & it just keeps getting better. Studdard is too sexy for her shirt. These poems do big turns on the catwalk! Take, for instance, a poem titled "When the Drunk Guy Sent an Injured Baby Goldfish to the Wildlife Rehab by Uber." I mean, how could a poem with this title be a bad poem? True to form, Studdard is spot-on hilarious, sharing"My kid DM'd me two smiley laughing tearsand the note: This is something you would do,and I don't know if that meant the drunk partor the goldfish alone in the backseat partbut I think it's possible life may just beGod telling a series of knock knock jokes ..."Studdard plays the language instrument like a Prince, a Joplin, or a Hendrix. She's got the full range going on! Not just the ha-has out the wazoo, but ample moments of gravitas and wisdom. as in "My Boyfriend's Body's Covered in Newspaper," where she opines"What surprises meabout the body is resilience. Minehas been a shot glass, a punchingbag, a cigarette filter, a liedetector, a crash test dummy."I mean, swoon, right? This coming right after the line "Life's never dull when your name's / Melissa and your mascot / is a huge, erect, disembodied p*nis ...," a kind of line, that by page 33, you've come to expect from this genius of a poet. Her spins on the catwalk deserve a "unanimous, and wholly sincere, victory toast," to say the least. If you are in need of some reasons to feel better about the state of our monkey-poxed, covided, unhinged world, this is the book to grab for as it all goes down.

I picked this book of poetry for my winery book club because it's great poetry even for people who don't like poetry. It's funny, sassy, sexy, sometimes biting, and totally not what people are expecting when they pick up a book of poetry. I love the poems that are satires of the job application process the most (hence the title) where the speaker petitions unknown audiences and argues her case with grace and ease. The group really enjoyed the book, and the discussions of the book were really fun. The cover art is terrific too (also by a poet!)

In DEAR SELECTION COMMITTEE, Melissa Studdard sets the literary world on fire with poems that are smart and sensual, witty and sexy, fun and incredibly poignant. These poems break boundaries, talk sex and love and life in a voice that is authentically Studdard's.Because this book is just a joy, I don't want to say too much because I want you to experience what it's like to fall into this beautiful, surreal world where God is telling a series of knock-knock jokes and we're pretending our life is a sitcom when things go wrong. You may end up with an angel between your teeth. A drunk guy may Uber an injured goldfinch to a wildlife rehab. This is what I'm saying--you do not know what's coming next and that's the gift of this collection.Funny and wild, these are poems that will vault into your mind, stay there, win a gold medal because they always score a 10 with their dismount.If you're tired of poetry that makes you fall asleep, this is your antidote. DEAR SELECTION COMMITTEE will make you toss every boring book of poems you've ever owned and replace them with a 1000 copies of this. If you are looking for that new voice that so engages you, you've found it. You will so enjoy!

Some people know how to be free in a world that tries its hardest to nail you down. Studdard's new collection reminds us that freedom of expression is not only desirable but necessary. That imagination is what allows us to function in a state outside of life's heaviest expectations. What is more serious than a job application and yet she takes the kite by the tail and not only sends it shimmering into the clouds she flies right with it. But this is no Mary Poppins story, it's a sexy, sensual ride through ruin and reinvention. The books tenderest moments draw you into the natural world, through loss and affirmation as she dreams "of trees with blue veins in a forest full of wilting" but the surprising turns and subjects are aloft with humor that remind you not to take life too seriously - it's your life - live it, cherish it, make love to it and don't be afraid to apply for what you want!

Melissa Studdard has written one of the best, most engaging poetry books I've read this year. You're in the hands of a master wordsmith, a lover of and explorer of life. Her newest book is one I know I will read and savor again and again. A talented poet growing more talented, more adventurous, more daring - in ways that will sweep you off your feet. HIGHLY recommend.