I Got Da Ever Lovin' KC Blues

Larry Rochelle
BookSurge (2005)
ISBN 141960936X
Reviewed by Debra Gaynor for Reader Views (1/07)

When I hear the name Kansas City I think of good barbecue.  Through Larry Rochelle’s poetry I can almost taste that sweet spicy sauce.  I can almost smell the scents waffling through the air.  I can almost feel the sauce running down my hand.  My mouth waters at the thought of barbecue ribs.  I can almost hear the blues rolling off the tongue of a singer.  Kansas City is so much more than barbecue and blues as Rochelle successfully conveys to us. Kansas City is a city divided.  A river divides Kansas City, Missouri from Kansas City, Kansas.  The Kansas City River divides the two making bridges their connection.  The city is further divided by The Missouri River.   But that’s not the only thing that divides Kansas City.  There are racial divisions also. 

Mr. Rochelle describes his visit to St. Mary, a quaint town close by.  The people sound so friendly and helpful making it a place you would want to visit and perhaps to call home.   NASCAR is popular in Kansas City.  NASCAR is so popular that they now have a new racetrack which seems rather ironic since it is difficult to get to it because Interstate 70 full of potholes. 

Memories came flooding back to me as I read “The Dime Store.”  I remember well browsing the aisles searching for just the right thing to buy.

I’ve never been to Kansas City.  But through Larry Rochelle’s text in “I Got Da Ever Lovin’ KC Blues” I feel as though I’ve experienced the place firsthand.   Larry Rochelle uses poetry to convey the spirit of the area.  He shares the characteristics Kansas City is well known for, Barbecue, Blues, and beer; however he doesn’t stop there.  He also shares some unflattering aspects of the area such as bigotry.  He uses his poetry to convey his dissatisfaction with certain aspects of the area. 

Larry Rochelle has an exceptional talent and should be commended for his efforts in “I Got Da Ever Lovin’ KC Blues.”  I highly recommend this book to those that enjoy poetry.

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