Th Trancemigracion of Menzu by Charles Potts (1972)

Th Trancemigracion of Menzu
Charles Potts
Empty Elevator Shaft
San Francisco, CA
(c) 1972

Now here's a beautiful object. One of the reasons that I have been blogging about chapbooks is to acknowledge beautiful objects when I see them. This is one. I am aware of Charles Potts, but never heard of Empty Elevator Shaft press. I did a Google search for the press and it seems to have an active press in the early 1970's before disappearing - to resurface in special collections and as individual books for sale at high prices.

The copy I have is signed by Mr. Potts in 1974 and inscribed to a "Alta Kia".

I noticed that there was some corrections to the text using a different type font that the rest of the mss. Interesting to note. Broken english throughout. Maybe I should say brkn englsh thruout.

A fine representation of a "golden age" of chapbook making to be sure. Worth finding and adding to your collection.

DJ Spinoza's Dozen by Eugene Ostashevsky (2006)

DJ Spinoza's Dozen
Eugene Ostashevsky
Octopus Books
Lincoln, NE
(c) 2006

If Albert Einstein wrote mathematical formulas as poetic verse - it would be like this. The text could have used MORE equations though. Not quite mind altering enough for me.

I and My Chimney by Herman Melville (1856/2002)

I and My Chimney
Herman Melville
The Berkshire Historical Society at Herman Melville's Arrowhead
Pittsfield, MA

Nice bit of synergy here : the very location of this story is a museum dedicated to Melville himself. So, one could read this story while standing in the room and looking at the chimney written about. Good piece of marketing genius! B&W images of house, rooms, and Melville with arms crossed. Very well done.

The Ohio System by Jen Tynes & Erika Howsare (2006)

The Ohio System
Jen Tynes & Erika Howsare
Octopus Books
(c)2006

a 3rd helping of Octopus Books. A blended brew of two distinct writers working as one. They express it perfectly :

"There is another country underneath, bearing itself up.

If this is an emergency, cut it off. I would.

If I understood what she meant. Cut and cut."

Indeed so. Well played.

Perfect Villagers by Sueyeun Juliette Lee (2006)

Perfect Villagers
Sueyeun Juliette Lee
Octopus Books
Lincoln, NE
(c)2006

It isn't just one, it's a second of eight. All released at the same time, in the same binding. This one by poet Sueyeun Juliette Lee. This one of 300 printed in Lincoln, NE. Ms. Lee is a Korean-American poet and video artist. Some of her work appears on silentbroadcast.com. I became familiar with her poetry via one poem, Dear Margaret Cho which is the first poem in this tiny collection.

I also was familiar with her work from the 2007 Portable Press at Yo-Yo Labs chapbook Mental Commitment Robots. I am happy to have a signed copy of that chapbook which does not seem to have been mentioned in this blog prior, but wow - Ms. Lee can write! Amazing stuff. With amazing accompanying collages by Brenda Iijima herself.

THIS 28 page collection is equally astounding. Her sense of self; of two selves - one American in tone and language and the other, already split in half by ideology and blood, graphic beyond imagining.

The Knife-Grasses by Julie Doxsee (2006)

The Knife-Grasses
Julie Doxsee
Octopus Books
(c)2006

Octopus - 8 arms. Octopus Books - 8 chapbooks released at the same time, in one red binding. This is the first of them. The poet is a Canadian-American who has a few books out now. This might be her first.

It's a staple-bound chapbook. 23 pages. As with many chapbooks I have seen in a particular vein of post-post-modernist writing, the white space is occasionally interrupted with words. Oasis in the desert of white space. The Knife-Grasses is a single poem. Worth the indulgence of sipping at the oasis in the desert. No hurry. Sip slowly. It's worth every swallow.

Two Views of Pears by Michael Davidson (1973)

Two Views of Pears
Michael Davidson
Sand Dollar
Berkeley, CA
(c)1973

Hand sewn chapbook. Lovely chapbook. Beautiful words as well. A joy to hold (and behold)

Never heard of the poet or the press before but I did a bit of research and found out that the papers of Sand Dollar are in Buffalo, NY. The man behind this press was Jack Shoemaker who is still a publisher in California. The poet, Michael Davidson, is a poet with a wikipedia page that isn't all that informative but it's there is you want to read it. He has published 8 or so books. This seems to have been his first.

Blue Horses by a.m. ingram (1976)

Blue Horses
a. m. ingram
Vagabond Press
Ellensburg, WA
(c) 1976

When I picked this up outside of Philly I had no idea about the author, the Press or anything. It's a bit water damaged on the cover but that's okay. I got it because it was a chapbook in a huge bookstore that didn't really display chapbooks terribly well. Few bookstores do that, actually : display chapbooks well.

Upon closer inspection though I saw that it was brought out in 1976 and typed out on an electric typewriter (am familiar with the font). Then I noticed that Cindy Bennett was created with the cover art. Cindy Bennett.... John Bennett? Yeah, a few minutes of deeper research provided me with a trove of chapbooks produced by Vagabond Press going back to 1960. Not sure if that's the same Vagabond Press but John Bennett was pivotal to the success of Vagabond. Although the Press was located in Washington State a number of Cleveland, Ohio based poets were published by Vagabond.

This is chapbook #4 and consists of short stories by Alyce Ingram who was born in 1914 in St. Paul, Minnesota. It was her first book.

First Touch by Glenn W. Cooper (2005)

First Touch
Glenn W Cooper
Bottle of Smoke Press
Dover, DEL
(c)2005

Just getting familiar with BOSP and they do some interesting work. Books in clamshell boxes. Specialized work. Famous poets (and lesser known ones) like this gent, Glenn W. Cooper. Oddly enough, I already wrote about a previous chapbook by this guy. Forgot about that one. This one is signed. One of 200 signed. I am not all that impressed with the work in this collection, sorry to say. It's difficult to separate the blogger/critic in me from the publisher in me from the poetry reader in me. Sorry, not loving this one. But I absolutely respect the work of this press and look forward to reading more of the books they publish.

I am San Francisco by A. D. Winans (2016)

I am San Francisco
A.D. Winans
Bottle of Smoke Press
(c) 2016

This tiny chapbook is a celebration of the life of Winans (he's still alive, just turned 80!) Handsomely done. Only 80 copies were made and all of them signed by Winans himself. Bill Roberts of Bottle of Smoke Press created this gem.

Desert Sequence by Miguel Gonzalez-Gerth (1956)

Desert Sequence
Miguel Gonzalaz-Gerth
Nonpareil Press
(c)1956

Tiniest little sliver of yellow, staple-bound chapbook. The Press seemed to publish a total of 5 books in 20 years of "operation" and most of those in the first 2 years. This chapbook was purchased in Rosemont, PA at the wonderful The Title Page. The author's bio reads like "Dr. Miguel Gonzalez-Gerth is a poet, translator, educator, and editor. He was born in Mexico City in 1926, the son of an army officer of Spanish descent and a musician mother of German descent. In 1940 he left Mexico for Texas, making the United States his permanent home. He received a B.A. from the University of Texas in 1950 and a Ph.D. from Princeton in 1973, and taught at the University of Texas in Austin for over thirty years, specializing in Hispanic literature. He has written numerous critical studies and works of poetry and has been published extensively in anthologies and magazines. He is the translator of Natural Selection (Host Publications), the collected works of Uruguayan poet Enrique Fierro."

This tiny chapbook is not mentioned in his bibliography. The author anchored in Texas, at the University of Texas, so how did this chapbook end up outside of Philly? Well, I happened across other copies of this chapbook on ABE and one was inscribed and signed by the poet to a woman with the identifier of Bryn Mawr (college) 1962. The poet had read at Bryn Mawr in 1962 and this copy had been floating about the Main Line burbs for years until I snagged it. This little chapbook has some history!

I am drawn to books about deserts as I was stationed in the California desert while in the USAF from 1975-1977. This chapbook has that feel, the coloring of the cover looks right, it's a fine little chapbook. Very happy to have it.

For Bears and Other Animals by Josie Davies (2005)

For Bears and Other Animals
Josie Davies
Feather Books
Shrewsbury, UK
(c)2005

I didn't expect much based on the cover art but I found the poetry in this slender volume surprisingly good. Not every poem in this collection is a grand slam (it's Baseball season) but many of them are at least singles. The quality of the chapbook seems to improve with every page, building - as it were - to a nice crescendo at the end.

Not sure who this chapbook was geared toward but the title and cover image undervalue the work. Too bad. The work deserves a bit more.

three poems by Tom Raworth / pushing water (part seven) by Charles Alexander (1998)

three poems / pushing water (part seven)
Tom Raworth / Charles Alexander
Chax Press
Tucson, AZ
(c)1998

what a delicious treat : a letter-pressed, hand sewn chapbook with hand-made paper separating the two different works. And my copy signed by both authors. A gem I am keeping, for sure.

television soup by Anthony Vitale (1995)

television soup
Anthony Vitale
Good Doggie Press
Brooklyn, NY
(c)1995

Not every tree should be felled for every cockamamie idea that passes through one's brain. Even if that idea is well intended, like - say a memorial for a beloved grandparent. This young man's grandfather died in 1994. In his grief, Mr. Vitale decided to write a book in honor of his grandfather. Unfortunately, he produced this book instead. It's not trashy. It's simply bad. Bad poetry. Bad cover design. It should never have left the bosom of the Vitale family. I regret the trees fallen for this absolute fiasco.

And if Good Doggie Press still exists : shame on you!

Three Dreams and an Old Poem by Paul Blackburn (1970)

Three Dreams and an Old Poem
Paul Blackburn
The Beau Fleuve Series
Number One
(c)1970

Staple-bound chapbook. Edited by Allen De Loach. Printed at SUNY Buffalo, where De Loach was teaching at the time. Unpaginated. Photo of poet by De Loach on back cover. One of 1,000 printed. Number one in the series. Great way to start off the series!

A Veil in the Sand by Susan Smith Nash (1994)

A Veil in the Sand
Susan Smith Nash
Room Press
White Plains, NY
(c)1994

This staple-bound chapbook contains poetry about Lawrence of Arabia. (T.E. Lawrence). Unpaginated. A bibliography printed on the last page is the only hint of what the book is about. The poems are okay. There ought to have been an explanation, an intro - something. Alas, not. The copy I have is signed by the author. That doesn't make it any more revealing than an unsigned copy though. Did I mention that the poems were okay?

Not familiar with the press either, Room Press, nor it's editor, John Perlman. But it's another day of learning.

after a trip to The Title Page in Rosemont, PA

I got a number of chapbooks there:

The Juggler of Our Lady (illustrated by Gus Uhlman), The Rose Valley Press, 1977. Hand sewn booklet.

Desert Sequence by Miguel Gonzalez Gerth. Nonpareil Press, 1956. Staple-bound chapbook.

television soup by Anthony Vitale. Self-published chapbook, 1995.

Blue Horses by a.m. ingram. Vagabond Press, 1976. Staple-bound chapbook.

Wyoming by William Stafford. Ampersand Press, 1985. Staple-bound chapbook.

The Tears of the Blind Lion by Thomas Merton. New Directions, 1949. Staple-bound chapbook.
more details to follow

Diet Pepsi & Nacho Cheese by Nila NorthSun (1977)

Diet Pepsi & Nacho Cheese
Nila NorthSun
Duck Down Press
Fallon, NV
(c)1977

Pop quiz. Name 10 Native American writers. Any kind of Native American writers, how about just poets? How about naming 10 FEMALE Native American poets? Okay, how about 5? Can you name five? How about three? Can you name just 3? Oh, come on now. They have been here longer than European settlers who somehow created the "American Literary Canon". Of course they didn't write in English. They didn't write at all the way we have told that "writing" is.

Yeah, okay, you cheat and can name one - this one - Nila NorthSun. Not very difficult when it's staring you in the face. And that's part of the issue with having the ability to name Native American writers: they have been so marginalized that we seldom stare them in the face. Or see them at all. Unlike Afro-Americans or Hispanics, or any other minority in this country, Natives don't live among us. They were put onto 'reservations' a long time ago. And frankly I don't know how calling them 'reservations' instead of Concentration Camps allows us to sleep better at night.

That's part of the issue with Native American voices. They are different. Their experience in this country is that of a number of nations that were defeated and removed from their lands and their way of life, their religions, their very language by a relentless 500 year campaign by determined Europeans for the entire continent and everything that was here before their lily-white behinds landed here.

Native Americans' relationship with the Conquerors is complicated. And it's different for all three North American experiences. The peoples who lived in what is now Canada had a different experience than those in what is now the United States, and still different from what the Natives who lived in had been New Spain experienced even earlier.

I have read several Native American writers and poets including Alexie, Silko, Vine Deloria, Jr, Louise Erdrich, Joy Harjo (among the better known Native voices) but also Cheryl Savageau (Abenaki), Margaret Cesa, and Luci Tapahonso (Navajo). Nila's work is right there with them. Brilliant in its simplistic use of English while presenting the constant tension of being Native-born in a country that would rather forget you are even here.

This was Nila's first book. It was published in Fallon, Nevada which is significant since The Fallon Paiute-Shoshone Indian Reservation is located there. A quick look into the back of this chapbook shows that Duck Down Press also published Gerald Locklin, Steve Richmond, John Bennett, and others.

Ms. NorthSun's only book of non-fiction is a history of that reservation and the peoples who live there. Diet Pepsi.. is a fantastic beginning to a well written life. Am honored to have it in my collection!

Civil Poems by Josephine Miles (1966)

Civil Poems
Josephine Miles
oyez press
(c) 1966

Staple-bound chapbook. oyez press which had a proud history and an ignominious end (so I have heard). Robert Hawley and Stevens van Strum started the Oyez Press in 1964. The last known book published came out in 1989. Josephine Miles was one of the forerunners of the San Francisco Poetry Renaissance. She was influential and a champion of younger poets. This thin volume gives a taste of her worth and work.

The Magdalene Syndrome Gazette Number Three (1967)

The Magdalene Syndrome Gazette Number Three
The Magdalene Syndrome Press
David Tammer & Nick Chavin, ed.
San Francisco, CA
(c)1967

This gem contains work by Clifford Burke, Eugene Lesser, Ho Chi Minh (hey it was 1967), Keith Wilson, Charles Potts and a slew of others. With some B&W photos. Blurred images. Staple-bound. Unpaginated. Great find. Complete with ads at the end of the book. One for Eugene Lesser's first mimeo-chapbook, Poems of an Acrophobic Steeplejack, another for the I/Thou Coffeehouse in the Haight, and two from other small presses.