The poet (and one time actor) Charles Bernstein posted that Pierre Joris died. I don't usually announce the passing of any poet, publisher, artist, etc. because after a while those posting would outnumber those of the living. But as I have already mentioned him twice in this blog, I can mention him again here.
While he will be missed, his writing will live on.
Ferrum College
Copenhaver Publishers, Inc
(1984)
A student run collection of poems, short fiction and drawings - Ferrum, Virginia. A timepiece. Not familiar with anyone in the book but glad to have seen it.
Spring 1977
Fort Hunt High School
Alexandria, VA
There was something about the creative process at High Schools in the 1970s. This staple bound book was created in the High School by one of the classes offered at the time, a printing class. They had on-site printing equipment in the school. I recognize that some of the pages were typed using different fonts, suggesting more than one typewriter was used and considering the number of students involved (26), this was quite an undertaking. Likely completed before Seniors graduated and fluttered off to college, or the military, or elsewhere.
The other thing I wanted to mention is that I live in the area where this High School once was. It's no longer called Fort Hunt, but West Potomac High after two separate schools merged in the 1980s. So, it's quite the collectors item to be sure and if anyone knows anyone who was in this edition, I would love to hear from them.
The Live Poets Society
Alexandria Public Library,
James J Duncan Jr. Branch
Alexandria, VA
Summer 1994
Truly it is important to find the first of any publication, any attempt of putting together a smattering of poems by a small group of poets who gather at a local branch of a library and this was their initial attempt. Their declaration of existence. According to the introduction, they first met in April 1993 at this branch and met once a month there to share and sharpen to reveal and express.
The names of those poets are listed but I won't mention them. Sometimes mystery is a good thing. The FACT of their existence is what is important.
F. Allen Brewer & Richard E. Ufford
Assumed self published
(c)1987
Now this here is a quandary to be sure. I found this little sliver of nothing (okay, not so "little" since its 96 pages, but it's staple bound and I feel bound to write about it) {I need a high hat}
These gents seem to have originated in Utah, from other sources I have found, but there is not telling where this book was printed because there is NO publisher information anywhere in the book. The back cover is blank. There are photos of the cowboy poets and some B&W illustrations throughout the book and in all likelihood it was created for one of those Cowboy Poetry gathering. Just my guess.
I am not predisposed to rhyming poetry and haven't since leaving Dr. Seuss behind a long time ago, but I am willing to acknowledge the craft of writing in this style. If I do have an issue with Cowboy Poetry it is that it is the white man's telling of the West (and how they took it). Subtle hints and phrases and nudges and winks but they aren't any Natives in these camps nor do I imagine there would be. Victors and vanquished. A subtext of this entire genre.
