Dream Straw by Mariflo Stephens (2019)

 Dream Straw

Mariflo Stephens

Finishing Line Press

(c) 2019

Very thin collection. Another collection of poetry looking back at a life lived. 

All Animals Want the Same Things by Jeanne-Marie Osterman (2021)

 All Animals Want the Same Things

Jeanne-Marie Osterman

Slipstream

(c)2021

Narrative personal poetry collection. Nothing wrong with the poems at all but I am weary of all the "first personal singular" throughout. Also, I am not certain that all animals do want the same things. 

Poems of Affection by Hugh Pendexter III (1994)

 Poems of Affection

Hugh Pendexter III

Armstrong State College

Savannah, GA

(c)1994

Staple-bound larger format chapbook. 48 pages. Credited listed on back cover (never saw that before)

Prisoner in the Streets of Paradise (1984)

 Prisoner in the Streets of Paradise

Mao Penha

St. Thomas Graphics

Virgin Islands

(c)1984

Wheelchair bound, Mao Penha had this book released in 1984. His is an unfortunate and tragic story and yet he has, as of 2005, made the best of a truly terrible situation. 

Beaches by Ruth Messenger (1981)

 

Beaches

Ruth Messenger 

The Partridge Press

Hudson, OH

(c) 1981

Illustrations by Janet Child. Staple bound collection of island poems. The author had a number of chapbooks published by this printer in the 1970s, apparently, and this was one assembled from some previously published work suggested by the subtitle of the book, "selected poems". There is an address for the author to the person who bought the copy from her and the address is in the Virgin Islands. 

Winter Me. Summer Me. by Becky Lee Weyrich (1974)

Winter Me. Summer Me.

Becky Lee Weyrich

Sentinel Press

Jessup , GA

(c)1974

In the world of "hen's teeth", this is one. Published in 1974 and inscribed and signed by Mrs. Weyrich this HAS TO BE among the first things published by the author. She included her address on St. Simons Island and a phone number (no longer in service, I called) 

Illustrated throughout by the author. Quite the find. 

The Condition of Poetry in the Modern World : A Stoogist Manifesto by Paul Fericano (1980)

 The Condition of Poetry in the Modern World

subtitled "A Stoogist Manifesto"

Paul Fericano 

Poor Souls Press/Scaramouche Books

Millbrae, CA 

(c)1980

I was on Ebay tumbling through postings of small press books when I saw this item among a "lot" being sold for an obscene amount of money, at least to me obscene, and I was taken more by the subtitle than the title. "A Stoogist Manifesto"? Three Stooges or Iggy Pop's band? What was all this then?

I found a copy elsewhere and it arrived and I noted that it has a 1980 selling price of a nickel. Yes, five American centavos. 

I never hear of the author or the press involved. The author does have a page on Poets & Writers website though. 

This is an essay that I will grant some clear political forthright since it was written after Reagan was first elected and was already anticipating his 1984 re-election. It was written in November 1980 so after the election but before RR was sworn in. 

However, to me the essay is intentional gobbledygook. The theme of the essay seems to have been that only "Stoogism" was the gleaming poetic light for the future, of course showing no examples of this clear and awesome poetry itself but rather simply ridiculing "existing poetic norms". It does seem that every decade starts out debunking the existing work of the previous one, so perhaps that's what is going on here or maybe it's just some puffery. Not sure. 

I have no better understand of what is or is not "Stoogist" after reading this essay than before opening it's staple-bound cover. 

First Glimmerings from Monsell Laury (1976)

 First Glimmerings

Monsell Laury

Crown Printing 

US Virgin Island

(c)1976

I recently bought a lot of paperback and chapbooks from a seller in Georgia who must have scooped them up from a former US Naval Captain who wrote poetry and visited the Virgin Islands. He had a number of books from there, many signed by their authors to the Captain. 

Monsell Laury was an actress and writer who lived on the Island. This appears to have been her first book. Staple-bound chapbook. Unpaginated. There's a B&W photo inside front of three female poets at a reading. None of whom is the author of this book. That strikes me as odd. The cover image is interesting though. 

Sex Secrets Women Wish Men Knew Rodale Press (1995)

 Sex Secrets Women Wish Men Knew

Rodale Press 

Emmaus, PA

(c)1995

This excerpt was taken from The Practical Encyclopedia of Sex and Health written by Stefan Bechtel and others. I think the note on the cover expresses one woman's response. I have nothing further to add. 

Prairie by Jon and Annie West (1978)

 Prairie

Jon and Annie West

The Blue Cloudy Quarterly

Marvin, SD

(c)1978

This staple bound chapbook is divided in half : Annie, then Jon. Poems by each. Poems are reprinted from Song of Spirit Woman published in 1974 by Banknote Press. The illustration on the cover is by Cherokee artist, Dewayne Mathews who was from Tulsa, Oklahoma. This is the 4th chapbook in the series. 

2 more tiny chaps from the 'one story' series

 one story series

Necessary Bodies by Daniel Montz

The Rat by Yohanca Delgado 

I mentioned this series of one story booklets before, just quickly mentioning the series again. I will now find a home for them both with young readers can scoop them up. 

Night: A Fantasy by Lowell S. Hale (1922)

 Night : A Fantasy

Lowell S Hale 

Peter G, Boyle, publisher

New York

(c) 1922

I have been operating under the (false) assumption that what we currently consider to be the "chapbook era", staple bound booklets of poetry of roughly 32 pages, started in the 1940s and was "sparked" by the activities of several pacifists who were detained during the Second World War in Oregon as described in the book Here at the Edge by Steve McQuiddy. 

It's a neat premise, to be sure, since it ties the activities of those pacifists pretty directly to the San Francisco poetry community and the greater world beyond - 

then I discover this book, a 1922 staple bound chapbook - likely not called a chapbook in 1922 - which was published by Peter G Boyle who 2 years later would publish Robinson Jeffers book Tamar and Other Poems as a hardbound book. 

So, I was already leery about the 1940s narrative even though it fit with the story I have been piecing together BECAUSE I had already found what can only be called "chapbooks" by my definition that predate the 1940s. Are they the anomalies or was my time frame always incorrect? 

Since my interest in "modern poetry chapbooks" leads back to and out from San Francisco, I have been viewing anything outside of my own parameters as anomalies. I don't believe there is any one specific title that would be agreed upon as the "first poetry chapbook". 

All that said - I did find a Lowell Sebastian Hale (1896-1939) and the briefest of brief histories of this publisher, Peter G. Boyle, but really not much. Yet, a very early poetry chapbook indeed. 

A Cut Above Life : Poetry by William C. Leikam

 A Cut Above Life : Poetry by William C Leikam

self published

(c)1992

There is almost nothing here but paper. 

I did a search online and there was a book published in 1968 by William C. Leikam entitled Run for the Waves. The publisher was Caravelle Books (New York)

There is also reference to "the Fox Guy" who might also be the same Bill Leikam who was involved in a San Francisco based nature preserve, and this same person - publishing as W C Leikam brought out a book entitled Road to Fox Hollow in 2022. My guess is that all these folks are the same guy. 

Also, it was in a lot I bought from someone who lives in California. 

Seafood Secrets of a Galley Slave by Jean Latta (1978)

 Seafood Secrets of a Galley Slave

by Jean Latta

Latta's Pacific Sea-Pak, Inc

Newport, OR

(c)1978

16 page cookbook. I know I am looking at this little cookbook with 2024 eyes but who thought it was still funny in 1978 to self-identify as a "slave" even in jest, even as a white woman? All joking aside, hopefully forever, it's now an unfortunate title. 

Printed on blue paper, which was an interesting choice. But still....

There is a Doe in the Winter Hayfield by Susan Gordon (2016)

 There is a Doe in the Winter Hayfield

Susan Gordon

Concrete Wolf 

Tillimook, OR

(c)2016

A book of the natural order, human and nature, life and death, sadness and grief, and all in 31 pages. 

growing forwards, growing backwards by Em Townsend (2023)

growing forwards/growing backwards

em townsend

bottlecap press

Hollywood, CA

(c)2023

I like the wraparound cover. 

The Squatchers by Gabriel Krawec (2020)

 The Squatchers

Gabriel Krawec

www.one-story.com

Interesting premise for an operation which appears to have been created to get teens to read, even if it's a single story, paper form. One Story, Inc. out of NYC (of course). Written by a "teen writing contest winner". 16 pages. 

Eclogue : Poems of Patrick Moran & Peter Blewett (1998)

 Eclogue: Poems of Patrick Moran & Peter Blewett 

Basswood Press 

Green Bay, WI

(c)1998

Never heard of the poets nor the Press before. The cover is from a woodcut made by Bethann Handzlik. Peter Blewett and his students published their work under the Dead Pigeon imprint. The Internet provides scant material about that press or Mr. Blewett. Basically, I am acknowledging the existence of......

Freight by Sondra Upham (2000)

 Freight

Sondra Upham

Slapering Hol Press

Sleepy Hollow, NY

(c)2000

This hand sewn inscribed and signed chapbook came from the Hudson Valley Writers Center and was printed on interesting paper (I have seen or felt a book that was made of the same kind of paper before) 

This is a contest winner as well. Not all the poems are fluffy happy clouds though. Living with the Memory of Rape is as gut wrenching and painful as the title suggests. 

Spirit Beast Chant by Ralph Salisbury (1982)

Spirit Beast Chant

Ralph Salisbury

The Blue Cloud Quarterly 

Marvin, SD

(c)1982

Another fine example of what this Quarterly produced during their heyday. Cover art by Wendy Rose.