"So fill the flutes and clink the glass/‘Cause fate has granted you a pass/Into the upper middle class."

Blum's poetry effectively uses meter and rhyme schemes as a container to house his stories of the lavish, exquisite Yuppie—Young, upwardly-mobile professional—life. In an era of poetry where free verse and experimentation are en vogue, Blum tries to return to traditional roots. His focus on the way of life of a particular generation, "Yuppies in the '80s," is intriguing in many ways. It is both insightful to younger millennials and provides an opportunity of nostalgia for Yuppies. From fine dining to driving stylish and expensive cars, the poetry tells a story of success and life in the fast lane. In poems like “For the Promoted” and “Poems from the South of France,” Blum discusses the accomplishment of being admitted into the upper middle class and reminisces on trips to exotic locations like France. Other poems delve into life on a cruise ship and high-end restaurants, among other things, and the seemingly endless glass half-empty mindset that plagues most Yuppies.

From a stylistic perspective, the poems have consistent rhyme schemes and an almost musical rhythm, revealing the many layers and nuances of being a Yuppie. “Rime of the Ancient Glutton,” which takes after the prolific Coleridge poem, details the hazards of gluttony that constantly plague the Yuppie. While Blum justifiably considers the educational relevance of his poetry, supplying an interpretation section after many of the poems is a distraction and unnecessary. Poetry does not, as Blum himself acknowledges in his introduction, need to be explained. His poems, arguably, deliver a more potent image of Yuppie life without the explanations. Overall, Blum’s poetry is engaging and entertaining, and forms a meaningful read for those who can attest to the Yuppie life.

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