Intensifications

Austin Straus' second book of poetry, "Intensifications," continues his autobiographical and philosophical explorations of self-in-the-world, with poems about growing up in Brooklyn, New York, his three marriages, life in San Diego and Los Angeles, his political activism, the writing process, the world's beauties and horrors, and his creative awareness of all sorts of amazing things going on around him. Included also are several "found poems." The big question for Austin Straus is how to stay relatively sane, while maintaining a sense of humor, in a universe that is intent on driving one mad.

Austin Straus is the author of Drunk with Light, a fabulous first collection of poetry by a man who has been widely published in national magazines for years. His poems and illustrations have appeared in such literary magazines and anthologies such as, Alcatraz3, Caliban, Grand Passion, Jacaranda Review, Red Dance Floor, and The MaverickPoets. Straus is also an acomplished artist. His artwork can be seen in several private collections such as The Ruth & Marvin Sackner Archive of Concrete and Visual Poetry, Barbara Pascal and Rik Pagano. In spring of 2000 Straus’s painting “Choices” was commissioned by DeVry Institute and now hangs in the West Hills campus library. Former host of KPFK’s The Poetry Connexion (1981-1996) Straus now spends his time painting, teaching and reading at many venues and colleges around the United States. Straus grew up in Brooklyn, New York and now currently resides in Los Angeles, California.