Title: POEMS FOR YUPPIES (AND ALSO FOR NORMAL PEOPLE)
Author: Stephen Blum
Publisher: XlibrisUS
ISBN: 978-1-5144-5081-9
Genre: Humor, Poetry
Pages: 50

Reviewed by: Beth Adams

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Author and poet Stephen Blum does for Yuppies what Dr. Seuss did for children; they each wrote poems to amuse and mock the worlds each of the age segments lived in. To be a true Yuppie, you needed to have come of age as an adult during the 1980’s; at a time of mostly world peace and when money was available for the taking. Fine wines, nice cars, expensive international trips were the calling cards of the “Young Upward- moving Professionals,” the “Yups” – hence Yuppies. Coexistent with the Hippies, the Yuppies enjoyed their three letters life enhancements such as BMW vs. the Hippy mantra LSD.

“Once a Yuppie always a Yuppie,” writes Blum in his forward. In Poems For Yuppies (And Also For Normal People), Blum dances the delicate balance between poetry and humor as he achieves a book of nostalgic entertainment. Being of this age bracket myself, yes, I get it. However for those that may not understand the intricacies of the intrinsic layered humor, Blum writes notes following most of his poems. These notes are revealing paragraphs explaining the nuances of what true Yuppified thinking is all about – some of which are outright outrageous! Frankly I liked the notes as much as or even more than the poems.

The poetry takes you around the world, and throughout “foodie” boutiques with a name like “La Très Bonne Cuisine,” delivering you to the iambic pentameter footing of most unconventional rhymes of reason. Done with a lighthearted, self-deprecating awareness, it is clear the group this book was written for are fellow Yuppies. Blum’s wordsmithing is extraordinary. He even makes the pronunciation of his own name falter to fit the rhyme – a bit of a Twilight Zone alternative Universe.

Ichabod and His Creator: “My name is Ichabod. / That I exist is odd, / But I exist, by God. / And Who is He by Whom / I am? Well, I presume / His name is Stephen Blum.” (Blum rhymes with “presume,” not “plum” – in this case).

This book is a sarcastic work being loosely classified as poetry but falls mostly in the genre of humor. Specifically, it is humor to those for whom it is written about. Poems For Yuppies is a terse read that can be an ideal retirement gift, or to bring to a 40th High School reunion. Stephen Blum demonstrates his ability to laugh at all the idiosyncrasies of Yuppies of his generation. Put to the comforting beat of a poetry book, cuddling the baby-boomers into the lullaby of their favorite childhood poets and characters like The Cat-In-The-Hat, Blum stimulates the readers’ memories while simultaneously reflecting on their past values. Being a Yuppie wasn’t a question of being right or wrong, nor good or bad, it was just a way people chose to be.

With one raised eye-brow, we hold up our Petite Sirah or single-malt scotch as we toast to the Yuppie in all of us.