"Here it is -- the place where History and Poetry commune."
Bob Holman, Founder, Bowery Poetry Club
"This is a varied and moving poetic memoir, which records in verse an incredible journey."
Krishan Coupland -- NeonBooks
Two brothers discourse through poetic political language in the context of Americana. Karol and Jakub Olesiak fled Polish martial law with their parents in 1985. The Olesiak family were chosen as the representative family to escort the new torch for the Statue of Liberty on the bicentennial in 1986. They were featured on good morning America twice roughly a decade apart and have gone to accomplish many things while carving out a life for themselves.
The book's relevance as both political language and poetry is connected to its first publishing in 2011 when Karol Olesiak, a Navy veteran, started an affinity group for Occupy Wall Street that aimed at getting veterans to protest against the 1percent. Act I features illustrations and childlike ruminations. Many of the poems in Act II were featured at Bob Holman's Bowery Poetry Club in Manhattan where Karol headlined. Act III showcases poems that Jakub Olesiak performed in venues across Philadelphia and wrote while editing the Temple University Art and Literary magazine. The cover of the book is a Polish ration stamp from Martial Law featuring Polish names for items available for purchase with the stamp. The pictures on the back cover are from Ellis island when the boys came to United States.