Southern poetry can be a conceited art form. It's like we think somehow we have a monopoly in terms of "characters." The fact is that every living human is a "character." The task of some poets is to record via the narrative and understand that reality contains its own natural symbolism. Many do this on varying levels. Yet, there are always cracks in the construction of reality even when the subject of exploration seems cut and dried. The genius of RJ Looney comes in his melding of the perception of said cracks with the not always obvious narrative. He has the unique ability to look "at" something while looking beyond it at the same time. He understands that life always boils down to perception and perspective and that the "right" answer isn't always unique. - Carter Monroe I won't hesitate to say that RJ Looney's A Crow's Breakfast is the best first collection I've ever read. Looney is bound to rattle some cages in the poetry world. It's an astounding set of narrative poems that resonates in an old Southern soul like mine. - Jim Chandler