Prince Charming is about connection and confrontation. Connection of the poet to his children, his wife, his loves, his friends, his art and his worldview. Confrontation with death, aging, bad poetry, shit jobs, and those who don't understand the Warren Zevon philosophy. There are no safe spaces in the poetry of Wolfgang Carstens. He has the guts to put it all on the page; the pain of friends dying, the joy of being paid for poetry readings, a possible mistaken ménage à trois with his wife of 27 years, the hilarity and sharp humor of his children, shopping for groceries, living in a "gray and dismal" city, and the purity of friendship. The poems in this collection show Carstens is as accessible as he is fearless, proving he is one of the most talented writers out there today.
