In "Ecstasy," Alex Dimitrov embraces a life at the edges in New York City and the finely crafted poetry that can arise from it. He explores sex, drugs, parties, pleasure, and the God of the 2020s while reflecting on a coming-of-age in the 1990s that continues to shape who he is and who his generation will be. His unbridled and musical poems are a cry against oppression, a subversion of cultural norms and shame, and a celebration of human authenticity—even if living under such philosophies is perilous.

In "Today I Love Being Alive," we find the poet naked in his kitchen, eating a banana and obsessing over a new lover, declaring "I don’t care if I’m remembered. / I care about... Strong men. Nice sentences. Italian leather"; in "Poppers," he stands dazed in a bar bathroom, "wondering what to do / with the rest of my life," and issues a warning to himself and us: "Poetry / is not a self-help book." Dimitrov is an illustrator of modern life, capable of rendering deep and timeless meaning from a fleeting encounter on the street. "Ecstasy" also deals with the poet's Christian upbringing, exploring faith as enemy and a valve for restoration, and a companion to all that this collection celebrates and flatters: the profoundly human ecstasy.

Dimitrov is that rare creature, a true poet and a genuinely contemporary poet. Thank God he is here.

"Ecstasy" stands out for its fierce examination of the transience of Love... Stunning and entertaining" – Guardian

Pages: 112, Dimensions: 14.5x14.5cm