Millrat

In Millrat, Michael Casey explores the complex hierarchy of a textile mill, featuring characters whose mishaps, trials, and escapades often land them "on the outside lookin in." This 25th-anniversary edition includes additional poems and commentary by early reviewers and contemporary writers. The book gained national attention upon its release in 1996.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 88 pages
Publication date: 22 February 2022
Publisher: Loom Press

The poems in Millrat are a rich tapestry of blessed and flawed humanity, drawing upon the author Michael Casey's personal experiences working in a textile mill in Lowell, Massachusetts, during the 1960s. This 25th anniversary edition of the book boasts not only additional poems but also insightful commentary from early reviewers and contemporary writers, further enhancing its significance. When the book was first published in 1996, it garnered widespread national attention, solidifying its place in literary history.

Poet Michael Casey's connection to the mills stems from his employment during summers while pursuing his education at the Lowell Technological Institute (LTI, now the University of Massachusetts, Lowell) and later while on leave from the State University of New York in Buffalo. He acknowledges that his writing about the mills was not solely a reflection of his career but rather a suitable setting for the book's narrative, as Lowell played a pivotal role in the other American revolution, the Industrial Revolution. Casey emphasizes that writers, regardless of their era or gender, have the capacity to write about their experiences. He references the works of Robert Frost, who famously penned poems about apple picking, and Fred Voss, who wrote about factory work, showcasing that factory work is not limited to men.

Author Jeanne Schinto's commentary in The Nation magazine sheds light on Casey's early achievements. At the age of twenty-four, Casey won the prestigious Yale Younger Poets award with his debut book, Obscenities. Stanley Kunitz, a renowned poet himself, hailed it as "the first significant book of poems written by an American to spring from the war in Vietnam." It is noteworthy that Casey, despite not serving in Vietnam himself, was assigned to the military police and engaged in highway patrol and gate-guard duty. As a result, Obscenities contains very little direct combat imagery, instead delving into the experiences and perspectives of the Army.

Through his poetry, Michael Casey offers a poignant and introspective exploration of the human condition, capturing the essence of both the blessings and flaws of the mill workers and the broader society they inhabited. Millrat serves as a testament to the power of literature to shed light on the complexities of life and to resonate with readers across generations. This 25th anniversary edition, with its additional poems and insightful commentary, ensures that Casey's legacy continues to be celebrated and explored.

Dimension: 215 x 139 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781735168975