Johnny Flaherty's latest book Gimme Liberty I Can Smell is a bold collection of neobeat poetry homaging a motley array of heroes. It's a maverick's manifesto that promotes "individualism" in a world enamored with collectivism. It promotes "freedom" in a society that values wealth and power above all else. And it promotes "pacifism" in a country waging perpetual war. Nevertheless, the author is undaunted by this challenge, believing that "to keep a flame burning" is a worthy goal in itself. With the ease of an old-school bard, Johnny blends storytelling with unflinching social commentary spiced with dry wit, satire, and paradox. At times, he plays the devil's advocate, and on occasion turns history on its head. His tone is often existential, while his outlook is optimistic, encouraging readers to acquire a taste for unflavored truth. His poems explore many ways liberty is experienced and enjoyed; then, too, how it is so often repressed. Neil Dale's freewheeling illustrations, combining whimsy with drama, augment the book's spirit. And from the poem of the old lady on a park bench: "Life necessitates courage "