Usman Ather

Musky Misc.: a Book of Reflections, Deflections, and Inflective Recollections- Provoked by Poetry Usman Ather

Musky Misc. by Usman Ather illuminates his poems with the reflections of a cancer survivor, a Choctaw Muslim singer, a Power Ranger, athletes and scientists.
The book is a miscellaneous collection of personal stories, anecdotes and creative analysis from a diverse group of people, interspersed with poems by the author.
Author and college student Ather strives to create a book of poetry that even a poetry-phobic person could love. As part of his Musky Misc. project, he began by sending his poems to theologians, artists and musicians, asking for a response, either in a poem, thought or anecdote. Musky Misc. is a compilation of poems surrounded by a variety of writing from a diverse group of people, designed to make poetry more meaningful and accessible. From a biomechanical engineer to a television producer, the voices in Musky Misc. aim to offer new interpretations of poetry and provoke thought from the reader.
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Praise For Musky Misc.

"The book is great! It's not a coffee table book; it's more like a mantle book."
--Josh Silberman (Discovery Channel Producer, Deadliest Catch)
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"Musky Misc. is a most unusual and well-executed idea for a poetry book. It's part compilation, part yearbook, part call-and-response creativity. Usman has really created something original."
--Nathaniel Mathews (Author of River of Desire, Ocean of Love)
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"Poetry inspires, elevates and nurtures the spirit. Rumi's verses sum up the experience you may have while reading this book:
Very little grows on jagged rock.
Be ground. Be crumbled.
So wild flowers will come up where you are.
You have been stony for too many years.
Try something different. Surrender. "
--Kashif Syed (Software Engineer)