“Funny, bruised, and honest as hell. I’ve worked bars my whole life—this nails it.”
~ Rob C., thirty years bartending, South Boston, Massachusetts
“This book respects bartenders. That means everything.”
~ Heather W., twenty years bartending, Athens, Georgia
“Every poem feels like a shift drink with a stranger…who knows your name.”
~ Lena P., five years bartending, Portland, Oregon
“I didn’t expect poetry to feel this familiar. Like closing alone with the jukebox humming.”
~ Chris M., eight years bartending, west of Fargo, North Dakota
“Smart, spare, and sincere. I’ll recommend this everywhere.”
~ Molly D., four years bartending, around Ithaca, New York
“A wonderful reminder of why bars matter—it’s about people.”
~ Kim A., thirteen years bartending, Fort Collins, Colorado
“Each poem is its own barstool. I really wanted to sit longer.”
~ Elena C., nine years bartending, Santa Barbara, California
“I didn’t expect this to hit so hard. Boy, it really did.”
~ Aaron B., three years bartending, near Logan, Utah
“A sturdy, generous book—like a good neighborhood bar.”
~ Denise F., twenty-four years bartending, Green Bay, Wisconsin
“These poems smell like citrus peels and last call. I’ve lived half these nights—and I trusted every word. Damn Good stuff.”
~ Mike R., fourteen years bartending, Chicago, Illinois
“Poems that respect the grind. That alone makes this book special.”
~ Scott H., twelve years bartending, All Over, Iowa
“So many small truths. I kept nodding along.”
~ Pam S., twenty-five years bartending, Peoria, Illinois
Pour Decisions
“Quiet poems with long shadows. Exactly how a good bar remembers you.”
~ Paul K., thirty years bartending, Traverse City, Michigan
“I laughed, I winced, I underlined everything. This book gets service work. Thank you.”
~ Sarah B., six years bartending, Asheville, North Carolina
“Plain language, deep feeling. That’s hard to pull off.”
~ Rick T., twenty-eight years bartending, Bismarck, North Dakota
“Funny one moment, devastating the next. Bartenders finally telling the truth.”
~ Monica V., eleven years bartending, San Antonio, Texas
“Service-industry poetry done right. No ego—just truth.”
~ Holly G., three years bartending, Eugene, Oregon
“So much compassion in these pages. Every bartender has a story—this proves it.”
~ Nina R., sixteen years bartending, Jersey City, New Jersey
“Poetry with bar mats under its boots. Grit and heart in perfect balance.”
~ Evan J., four years bartending, Missoula, Montana
“I’ve never seen bar life captured this cleanly. Sharp writing with a soft soul.”
~ Ryan O., ten years bartending, San Diego, California
“Plainspoken and beautiful, like a regular who finally opens up.”
~Tom D., twenty-two years bartending, around Bakersfield, California
“Working-class poetry at its best—unpretentious, generous, and real.”
~ Stan W., thirty years bartending, Rapid City, South Dakota
“I loved the range of voices. It feels truly national.”
~ Natalie P., eight years bartending, Madison, Wisconsin
“Fast reads that linger, like good conversations.”
~ Sam J., seven years bartending, Lawrence, Kansas
“I felt seen by these poems. That doesn’t happen often.”
~ Diane M., twelve years bartending, Tacoma, Washington