The Rube Goldberg Variations

"The interconnectivity and absurdity of the world is on full display in The Rube Goldberg Variations, a book of poetry that uses the inspiration of twelve-tone music, acrostic, and variations of double sestinas to create a sonorous, rhythmic collection that is greater than the sum of its parts..."

- Martin Ott





"Inspired by one of Bach's masterworks, Leonard Temme's Rube Goldberg Variations is a tour de force. . . To enjoy Temme's poetic imagination, one doesn't need to be the poetry craftsman he is; but in addition to the poem, having him reveal . . . how he masters the arcane rules of this venerable ars reservata is awe-inspiring. . . the work is beautiful. It deserves to be read often, just as the Goldberg must be heard often to reveal its intricacies. Both require a similar attentive interaction with the reader."

- Frans von Rossum