The Grave on the Wall by Brandon Shimoda (2010)

The Grave on the Wall
Brandon Shimoda
Double Cross Press
Tiny chapbook published in 2010 by Double Cross Press. Single Sheet Series #5. Letterpressed at the Minnesota Center for Book Arts during March and April of 2010. Hand-sewn stitching. Unpaginated. Purple waxy hand-made paper cover stock. Unique item made shortly before the poet "blew up" with two major collections in the following two years. Definite collector's item. Illustrated throughout by the author.

There is/was a Press and the Press does/did have a blog but its restricted. Intriguing.

Meditation on a Hyacinth (and other quiet things) by Victoria Hamilton (1977)

Meditation on a Hyacinth (and other quiet things)
Victoria Hamilton
Blue Heron Press
Grand Rapids, MI
(c)1977


I found this very thin slice of nothing at a local bookstore, the thin slice of red gave it away. It reminds me of early Blue Mountain book in the stylings of Susan Polis Schutz. Hand lettered "pieces". Not sure I would came the pieces poetry. Interestingly, while researching this tiny chapbook I found out that Howard Fast had an imprint in New York City from 1952-1956 to publish several editions of his book Spartacus and most other writings of his. Didn't find much out about the Grand Rapids imprint though.

winter's been cold

so cold my fingers don't work so cold

The Village Painters by David Chorlton (1990)

The Village Painters
David Chorlton
Adastra Press
Easthampton, MA
(c)1990

Handsome chapbook with illustrations by author. Unpaginated. Green cover with image of village on front. Some of these poems first appears in Poets Lore. Nice find.

November Fires by Tillie Friedenberg (1998)

November Fires
Tillie Friedenberg
WordHouse, Inc.
Baltimore, MD
(c)1989

This is the second printing of this chapbook. 29 pages. A slightly larger chapbook in size. WordHouse is known in Baltimore for some of the chapbooks they have created. Being Tillie's first book, this is as much testament as document considering that she published this later in her life. Shadows of the Holocaust hang over each page, a past not entirely survived. A remembrance sweet as lemons. Powerful writing.

Nancy's magazine : The Mood Issue

Nancy's Magazine: The Mood Issue
San Francisco, CA

Interesting zine. Unpaginated. Pretty cool indeed. Staple-bound.

The Cruelty of the Desert by Michael Wurster (1989)

The Cruelty of the Desert
Michael Wurster
Cottage Wordsmiths
Pittsburgh, PA
(c)1989

Handsome cover to this 48 page chapbook. Cottage Wordsmiths is still around, believe or not, not certain about the quality of their other books but this is a good one. According to a listing I found they do "Miscellaneous publishing". Diverse, perhaps.

I am not a fan of author photos in books, not really convinced that they help at all to "sell" the work. This book has one and no, it doesn't. Some of the poetry is good. Worth finding for the cover art alone.

Familiar Sounds by Marjorie Sadin (2011)

Familiar Sounds
Marjorie Sadin
self published
(c)2011

51 page Kinko's special staple-bound chapbook. On the cheapest paper available. Lord in Heaven!!

Any chapbook that flirts with 50 pages becomes awkward. I can't imagine many copies of this one were printed. The poetry is okay, not stellar. No tree should have been felled for the making of this chapbook though.

The Gynecologist by Joan Lyons (1989)

The Gynecologist
Joan Lyons
Visual Studies Workshop Press
Rochester, NY
(c)1989

29 page staple-bound chapbook. The following was taken directly from her website "Fanciful historic gynecological representations of women are juxtaposed with a contemporary patient / doctor interview, which reveals the authority a traditionally male medical culture holds in describing and prescribing for an individual body; in this case female. Aspects of the text will be familiar to most women. This book was based on several years of research and was in danger of becoming a ponderous document before I edited it down to what I know best—an artist's book. It echos the structure of historical printed books, with its small text block and illuminated margins."

The work fascinates me. It clearly is an artist book as well as a "historical" document. I am nearly as interested in the Visual Studies Workshop Press as I am in the artist. Ah, they are one in the same. Joan founded VSW in 1971. The Press is still operational. Making fantastic books. A publisher of artist books is rare indeed.

Quite the find!

Greatest Hits 1977-2003 by Mark DeFoe

Greatest Hits 1977-2003
Mark DeFoe
Pudding House Publications
Columbus, OH
(c)2004

This is number 227 in Pudding House 'Greatest Hit's series. Think about that for a second. 227 "Greatest Hits" from poets I have never heard of. 227 self-indulgent masterpiece/train wrecks. "Greatest Hits" my feather-duster! Trite, dribble, a complete and utter waste of tree life UNLESS you are a friend or family member of one of these 227 individuals whom I have never heard of. Mind you, I read a fair amount of poetry, so that's saying something that I haven't heard of these folks. Pudding House exercises zero editorial control, it seems.

This chapbook is 30 pages long. Staple-bound. Cookie-cutter unoriginal cover. But, for folks who know Mr. DeFoe, this one is for you!

Lemon Red by Cralan Kelder (2005)

Lemon Red
Cralan Kelder
Coracle
South Tipperary Ireland
(c)2005

Handsome little chapbook from a charming little publisher nestled on a farm in rural Ireland. How idyllic! Coracle is the brainchild of Erica Van Horn and Simon Cutts. They have making these lovely chapbooks since the late 1990s. Brilliant! #150 of 300 printed.

Exertions by Scott Glassman (2006)

Exertions
Scott Glassman
Cy Gist Press
(c)2006

Cy Gist Press is edited by Mark Lamoureux. This is a string-bound chapbook.

(here is Scott Glassman reading with copy of book behind him) Unpaginated. 8 3/4" by 6 7/8"(a differently sized chapbook)

The LANGUAGE in this collection is postmodernistic language to be sure but as a reader AND a publisher I often wonder if the use of "i" is the glue, the anchor word. I find it unnecessary to interject the "i" unless the poems are lifted directly from the author's diary. I doubt that's the case here but that feels like the result.
If you like his work, this is a collection for you!

Still Life by Alan Catlin (2007)

Still Life
Alan Catlin
Black Buzzard Press
Austin, TX
(c)2007

This is the first time mentioning this particular Press. Not sure if they are still in operation. Their last web(foot)print was in 2010. Small operation nonetheless. This was one of their 2007 offerings. Unpaginated.

Learning POEM about Learning about being a POET by Michael Basinski (2012)

Learning POEM about Learning about being a POET
Michael Basinski
PressBoardPress
Buffalo, NY
(c)2012

I prefer to call this chapbook "Oink! Moo!" since that's what on the front cover but this handsome letter-pressed chap is worth the reading and the finding to be sure. Patrick Riedy has done a lot of good work in a brief period of time up by Lake Erie, and he and his press deserves note.

This limited run chapbook is a great example of that. Meanwhile, Michael Basinski is quite the Every-ready Bunny in Buffalo, where he works as the Curator of the Poetry Collection at the University of Buffalo and has made contributions in both poetics and curation for several years now.

There is an even more limited run of this limited run chapbook which has flyleaves designed by Basinski and signed by both the poet and the book designer. That's my next goal !!!

Cries of Flesh and Stone by Richard O'Connell (1962)

Cries of Flesh and Stone
Richard O'Connell
Atlantis Editions
Philadelphia, PA
(c)1962

When I first discovered this little chapbook in rural Pennsylvania, I figured a lost book by an unknown poet. Little did I know.....whatever else, this small imprint, Atlantis Editions, was around for over a decade. The only name associated with the imprint was Richard O'Connell. He did publish a good deal, it does appear. All the same, by the time I moved to Philly in late 2001, his name was not known - this is the first book by the Press that I ever saw or read.

A handsome 7" X 4.75" blue covered chapbook, 32 pages. Staple-bound. The poems are short. They are also good.

This chapbook was published in 1962. Earliest bit of small press happenings in Philly that I am aware of. Who did this poet know, where did he read? Was he part of a group? Where did they meet? (so many questions)

Blastin' Out of Abilene by Elliot Richman (1988)

Blastin' Out of Abilene
Elliot Richman
The Windless Orchard Press
Fort Wayne, IN
(c)1988

Unpaginated staple-bound chapbook. With illustrations by Bruce H. Gurly. Interesting little item. I like the illustrations better than the poetry. It happens.

feedback & etc.

one of the positives that I have gotten from this blog is the interaction with poets and publishers who I mention. It's a small field and with few and very determined individuals involved. It's rewarding to me when some of them take the time to respond. I am certain it's rewarding to them to be remembered.

Taking Notice by Marilyn Hacker (1980)

Taking Notice
Marilyn Hacker
Out&Out Books
(c)1980

Produced at the Print Center,Inc. Brooklyn, NY. In arrangement with Alfred Knopf. 25 page staple-bound chapbook taken from the hardbound collection by the same name published in 1980 by Knopf. A chapbook version of a hardbound book published the same year with permission of that larger publisher? Interesting. I had not heard of that happening. Yet, here tis.

What I find most interesting is that this small chapbook by a press that has no online presence (so when did it go POOF?) was able to do this chapbook and get the author to sign the copy I have! Ms. Hacker teaches in New York and this chapbook was published in Brooklyn. And from the back cover comes a bit of explanation "This is the sixth in a series of pamphlets documenting ideas important in the evolution of lesbian/feminism" Okay, what were the previous 5 pamphlets?

Seventh Sense by Paul Economos (1981)

Seventh Sense
Paul Economos
The St. Andrews Press
St. Andrews Presbyterian College
Laurinburg, NC
(c)1981

Chapbook was part of the Bunn-McClelland Memorial Chapbook Series. Illustrated by Laura Ellis (another Laura Ellis connection)32 page staple-bound chapbook. Part of the North Carolina lot I received a few months ago. Getting to see the work of Laura Ellis, not surprising that she's become a graphic artist talent! The poetic "work" here does not resinate with me, however.

The Name Poems by Yvonne Mason (1978)

The Name Poems
Yvonne Mason
St. Andrews College Press
Laurinburg,North Carolina
(c)1978

25 page staple-bound chapbook. Beautifully illustrated by Laura Ellis. The 1978 winner of the Alan Bunn Memorial Poetry Prize. This chapbook was her first publication.