street mystery by Julia Vinograd (1985)

 street mystery

Julia Vinograd

J/S Press

(c) 1985

Through the arc of her publishing career, with the visual effects of her changing body as shown with her annual book release with corresponding cover photo; a sort of Dorian Gray in real time with written work that continues to become more perfected while she wanes due to the toll she pays for the life she chose to live; all represented in this 1985 chapbook published 40 page blast by a mysterious publisher who left no trace - puff of smoke. 

Concrete Meat by Julia Vinograd (1981)

 

Concrete Meat

Julia Vinograd

Arc Press

Berkeley, CA

(c) 1981

Due to the nature of Ms. Vinograd's life and publishing history (a book a year for most of her life) we can to see the ever observant poet watching the world from street level while we also watch her age and wither year by year. At least until her sister began to provide the cover art for her annual missives. This is no exception. It is as she describes at the beginning of 'The Mirror's Edge' :

                          "We scare the monsters but not too far away"

no, indeed not. Otherwise, what would we write about?

Street Spiels by Julia Vinograd

 Street Spiels

Julia Vinograd

Earthsign Press

I have a number of chapbooks by Julia Vinograd who died nearly two years ago, but this one was published by a Press associated with a bookstore (maybe) in the Berkeley, CA area (reasonably certain) and like many of the books I have of hers, it's signed by Ms. Vinograd herself. Earthsign might have been the name of the bookstore that also had a publishing operation. 

There is no listing of Earthsign other than the current user of that name who is a female artist who makes public art. A listing of all of Ms. Vinograd's books on wikipedia does not offer a publication date for this chapbook either. A bit of a mystery. 

Holding Up the Wall by Julia Vinograd (1987)

Holding Up the Wall
Julia Vinograd
Cal-Syl Press
Oakland, CA
(c)1987

Never heard of or found anything about Cal-Syl Press, maybe it was a print shop? Another in the annual output of Julia Vinograd. Photo by Harold Parish. 42 pages.

Street Spices by Julia Vinograd (1973)

Street Spices
Julia Vinograd
Thorp Springs Press
Berkeley, CA
© 1973

Thorp Springs Press was the publishing child of Paul Foreman who named the press for a location in his native Texas west of Fort Worth. He started the press while studying at Berkeley and published a few of Julia Vinograd’s early chapbooks.

This is one of those. It was published in 1973. Unpaginated. Staple-bound. Filled with her street level observations and witticisms. Cover photo by David Soffa.

Julia Vinograd 1943-2018

Sometimes it's worth noting.

You should read her, now that she has left our dimension.

The Berkeley Bead Game by Julia Vinograd (1971)

The Berkeley Bead Game
Julia Vinograd
Cody's Books
Berkeley, CA
(c)1971

Ms. Vinograd's entire life has been one of being a street poet and advocate for those society has chosen to ignore. This is her second collection. The pomes remind me of the work of Philadelphia-based poet Charlie O'Hay. A poet of the street. Who lived the street. In the case of Ms. Vinograd, it's been 50 years of labor. Great collection of grit, street, and human cast-aways.