Anyone that’s not been living under a rock for the past year will be aware that the White House is currently occupied by a man we’ve been assured is a ‘very stable genius’. Known for his impressively high IQ, and his impressively normal-sized hands, Donald Trump’s literary prowess has for too long been restricted by a 140 character limit. It will be a relief, therefore, to learn that Trump has finally given the world a glimpse into his very stable psyche and graced us all with a book of poetry: The Beautiful Poetry of Donald Trump.
If the thought of Trump’s poetry brings you out in hives then fear not because I am, of course, being facetious. The Beautiful Poetry of Donald Trump is in fact comedy writer Rob Sears’ new book. The anthology, as Sears puts it, aims to redress an “oversight on the part of the literary world” by scouring Trump’s tweets and transcripts for poetic inspiration.
Sears carefully curates Trump quotes into short poems, some only a single line, which cover all of today’s most pressing issues: politics, feminism, and how undeniably loved he is. The ultimate success of Sears’ collection lies in the diligent footnoting of each line of poetry. These are displayed proudly on the page opposite his amalgamated work, and confirm – when the reader inevitably finds themselves open-mouthed, head shaking in disbelief – that these really are the words of the elected leader of the free world.
A particular highlight of Sears’ book is the series of haikus which take their inspiration from some of Trump’s many adversaries. ‘Sad Sack Rosie: A Haiku,’ for example, looks at the many insults Trump has thrown at actress and comedian Rosie O’Donnell. Similarly funny titles include ‘These people are losers’ and ‘Does torture work?’.
There is inherent humour in the idea that a man that struggles to put together a coherent sentence would be a poet, and Sears capitalises upon this notion. The Beautiful Poetry of Donald Trump is witty and intelligent, and feels incredibly pertinent at a time when global politics seems in such a dire state that no one knows whether to laugh or cry; indeed, you might just do both flicking through this book. Either way, Sears’ book is certainly worth a read.
In fact, and I mean this as no insult, The Beautiful Poetry of Donald Trump might be the perfect toilet book. Leave it in your bathroom and revel in the muffled laughter that escapes under the door when your next guest comes around.
The Beautiful Poetry of Donald Trump by Rob Sears.
(Published by Canongate)
Image: Canongate.