Stan Rogal Books

Yet another book of poems from the ubiquitous poet, playwright, actor, director, visual artist and standardized patient (yes, standardized patient), Stan Rogal. This is the first of Rogal's books to feature samples of his collage work.

A bored part-time college English instructor who teaches a class called "Humour in Classical Novels" to students who really don't care decides to try his hand at stand-up comedy, which takes him from his very protected academic world into an arena open to attack and persecution by his family, the public at large, the media and the courts. The novel explores issues such as political correctness/cultural sensitivity, personal and private space and social media, freedom of speech, huckster media, the notion of originality and most especially the nature of humour itself -- what makes something funny, what subjects are taboo and why, what causes certain jokes to lose favour, how does context affect what can or cannot be said. To further this approach, he takes the name Bruce Leonard and dresses a là TVs Columbo. On his downward spiral, the man meets some wild characters: a female stand-up comic who tends to mirror his routine and voyage, a prosecuting lawyer who uses court cases to promote her other role as author, an omnipresent drug dealer, a hipster talk show host who shills everything from diet plans to CDs with equal aplomb.

A ghostly tale of family ties and madness. A young man, Ray, returns to where he was born, Weyburn, SK, after several years traveling anonymously around the country. He’s recently been suffering from frightening nightmares and he feels they may have something to do with his past, especially within the walls of the abandoned former mental asylum where his father had worked and his mother had been a patient. Old loves, old wounds and old grievances are rekindled, made especially difficult by the fact that his brother is the town sheriff and is also married to Ray’s former girlfriend. The presence of an older, mute, indigenous woman adds to the mystery

Exploring the intersection of music and poetry, this collection reimagines popular songs through a unique lens. Stan Rogal employs self-referentiality, humor, and a blend of the erudite and the profane to challenge traditional poetic forms. By incorporating allusions to various arts and sciences, along with biographical and historical elements, he creates a contemporary playlist that resonates with today's audience. The use of non-traditional language and sampling techniques further enhances the innovative nature of these poems.