Vancouver Mainland Ice and Cold Storage
writers forum
Canada
(c) 1974
Uniquely original. 2nd printing. Not even listed on his Wikipedia bibliography page. Hard to describe other than it's worth collecting. Bissett is and has been a poet worth reading or "experiencing" to put it more accurately.
Throwing Spitballs at the Nuns
Rose Lesniak
Toothpaste Press
Iowa City, IA
(c) 1982
This copy was signed by author and illustrator, the talented Ann Mikolowski who did in fact provide stunning images for this chapbook. Hand-sewn binding on hand made paper. Unpaginated. A beautiful piece of art in its own right. And the poetry is great as well. I love me some Toothpaste Press!
Custis-Lee Mansion : The Robert E. Lee Memorial
National Park Service
1962
It took the events of 2020, in particular the knee on the neck of George Floyd, to crystallize a clearer vision of Americans. A realization among citizens that perhaps we ought to stop praising people who in fact were traitors to the United States. This booklet was part of that time and heaped a degree of awe when vile disgust would have been more appropriate.
It was published by the National Park Service because it has been, for over 100 years now, a tourist destination. Perhaps separate from the Arlington National Cemetery which surrounds it now and in part because it attracts believers and deniers who wish to pay homage to the "noble cause" (enslaving black people).
These 48 pages containing B&W photos of the well mannered house is nothing more than an advertisement for a slave plantation which overlooked lowly Washington DC from it's peak atop the hill. This plantation and honored resting place for our nation's war dead and an assassinated US President is at least a mixed metaphor and at worst is an encapsulation of the "Grand Experiment" which is the United States.
George Woodcock
The Untide Press
Pasadena, CA
(c) 1947
It is my contention that the poetry chapbook movement, if it could be called that, had an epicenter and that location was called Civilian Public Service Camp #56, outside of Waldport, Oregon where a group of conscientious objectors during World War II made a movement out of letterpress ink and staples and hand-sewn thread.
This is not the earliest of these efforts but it is certainly one of them.
There is a well written history of this collaborative effort that took place as Camp Waldport entitled Here on the Edge authored by Steve McQuiddy and published by Oregon State University Press. At the heart of this story and of the enterprise that grew out of it was William Everson. Some of the ideals that led to The Untide Press made their way to San Francisco and were incorporated into the "Renaissance" there which coincided with the birth of the Beat Generation.
There may well be more than one birth site for the poetry chapbooks at the time of the second Great War but this place was better than most and had far most influence that any I am aware of.
This particular item was published in 1947, after the war and once the Camp had closed. Those who made up The Untide Press had scattered hither and yarn but George Woodcock was one of the founders and was a Canadian at the Camp. The true begins of the "press" dates back to early 1943 as a newsletter distributed to other CO Camps across the country and grew into a "press" afterwards.
One of 1000 printed. Unpaginated. And gorgeous!
the 1876 book I just mentioned was snatched almost instantly when I posted it on ebay for possible sale. I usually keep my chapbooks but this one was different. And poof - it disappeared.
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.
Tonya Maria Matthews
Black Words Poetry Series
Alexandria, VA
(c) 1999
This seems like such a small and insignificant thing : a chapbook. Published by a small press that doesn't exist anymore. 40 pages of staple-bound insight. Except maybe in the details
Being : #1 - the Press imagined itself, in the statement about its own shadow at the end of this chapbook, to be "By the year 2k, we plan to be well on our way to becoming the Motown, or Def Jam, if you will, of Publishing" according to founder Kwame Alexander.
Founded in 1995, the small press did have some early successes; publishing 360: A Revolution of Black Poets and Tough Love: The Life and Death of Tupac Shakur. But the success now belongs to Alexander himself who is a well published and respect author.
Ms. Matthews, even at the time of this publication, was also pursuing a non-literary career in medicine. She now teaches at Wayne State University as Tonya M. Matthews. She is also the author of Blind Man's Map (2012), Still Swingin' (2005), as well as some compilations.
Some of the poems in this collection were added to a larger reprint of Still Swingin'
The Paul Simon Project
Karen Lillis
NightBallet Press
Pittsburgh, PA
(c) 2017
As concepts go, this isn't a bad one. But, the author seems to have not been aware of what Daniel Nester did with the entire Queen discography. Also curious about the cover image, but that's a minor point.
Taylor Mali
2017 Rattle Chapbook Prize Winner
Rattle
(c) 2017
I have heard about and read about this publication for some time now and am familiar with this poet. Rattle is worth investigating. Mali is a spoken word artist. My belief is that spoken word artists ought to made CDs instead of books. The language is dead on the page.
Diane Schenker
Finishing Line Press
Georgetown, KY
(c) 2009
Finishing Line Press. Finishing Line Press. On repeat. Too much, darling, too much
Roland Flint
Friends of the Library
North Carolina Wesleyan College
(c) 1984
Inscribed and signed. A 2 poem booklet. A great rare item.
Frederic Koeppel
Ion Books/raccoon
Memphis, TN
(c)1987
I have been on a bit of a Memphis kick of late. I did get a number of chapbooks from my friend Corey Mesler who runs Burke's Books in Memphis and these were among that bouquet. I had no idea that there was a press called raccoon. Let alone that raccoon seems to have been the chapbook series of Ion Books. When it comes to Memphis, TN publishing community, I am the novice.
The same David Spicer who I recently wrote about was involved in the cover design of this chapbook. I find it quite handsome. The writing here is quite good as well. Nice work all the way around.
Tribe of Two
David Spicer
Seven Circlepress
Seattle, WA
(c) 2019
This relatively new press has put a spine on a 21 pages chapbook. Like lipstick on a pig. It's still a chapbook. Cover art by poet's wife. He is a much published poet and lives in Memphis.
Chin-Chin in Eden
Corey Mesler
Still Water Press
Galloway, NJ
(c) 2002
Corey Mesler is a publishing machine. Not Lyn Lifshin level but Mesler is a great writer as well as a book seller in Memphis, TN. He and his wife run Burkes Books which started operation in 1875.
The production of this chapbook is a bit on the bland side but the work is good.
Love in the Ruins
Gordon Osing
Spuyten Duyvil
New York City
(c) 2017
They made it like a book with a spine but it's only 16 pages. It's a chapbook, that's for sure. It's my understanding that this gentleman has "been there" whether or not he has "done that" I can not say. Not familiar with this press either but when I turned the book over and saw this
Red Land, Black Land
Tina Barr
Longleaf Press at Methodist College
Stony Creek, CT
(c)2002
26 page staple-bound chapbook. Contest winning chapbook. Nice piece of writing.
William Page
raccoon Books, Inc.
Memphis, TN
(c) 1982
Several years ago now, my humble little press (Plan B Press) ran a "Beat" poetry chapbook contest and the winner was Corey Mesler for a section of a much larger work which was published as Following Richard Brautigan. The chapbook has a foreword written by the great poet ruth weiss who died in July, 2020.
I wrote Corey not long ago about ruth's passing and our little chapbook in common (with the judge of that contest as well - William Brandon III who is now an accomplished author in his own right) and one thing led to another which resulted in me purchasing a number of chapbooks from his store in Memphis, the legendary Burkes Books.
The first of these chapbooks that I will be writing about is this one. William Page's 1982 chapbook, The Gatekeeper, primarily because it was published by raccoon Books, Inc. and I never heard of this press before. They were (yes, were - apparently defunct now) a Memphis press which had a journal as well as a publishing arm. The operation started in 1979 and ended operation more recently.
raccoon Books was associated with or was part of St. Jude Press in Memphis where the books were printed. William Page taught at Memphis State University and edited the Memphis State Review.
Tactics of Survival
San Francisco, CA
(c)1964
Bindweed Press was best known for their SF rock concert posters of the mid-1960s. Headed by Frank Westlake, the posters became synonymous with "the scene" and various SF venues. This handsome letter pressed book was published prior to that as George Hitchcock was just himself coming onto "the scene" in the poetry/playwright sphere.
The Bindweed Press started operation in 1962, publishing an earlier George Hitchcock book, Poems & Prints, with poetry by Hitchcock and illustrations by Adrian Wilson.
One of 700 printed. 8 drawings by Ann Parisi grace the pages. Handmade paper for cover stock. Staple-bound. 35 pages. Quite the item!
curated by The Debate Society
....
I was in the local second hand shop which supports the local hospital, and I went to the book section and saw a "little sliver of nothing" colored green and I pulled it out and looked at the front and wondered 'what the hell is this?' and then I turned it over and
....
Ugly Duckling Presse
New York City, NY
(c)2012
.....
Unpaginated staple-bound chapbook, one of 1000 printed. The generous (but likely befuddled) volunteers at the shop posted it for sale at .50 cents. I could afford that. And it is an interesting collection of plays if something 15 seconds short can count. Not surprisingly, it is out of print.
Pushing Out the Envelope
Tsaurah Litsky
Apathy Press Poets
Baltimore, MD
(c)1992
I found this woman's first chapbook on a small online bookselling presence, kind of like a virtual street corner shop, and bought it primarily because I was familiar with the image on the front cover. Turns out that Tsauarh Litzky is alive and living in NY.
It seems that long ago Apathy Press hosted a reading series in NY and Ms. Litzky attended these readings and the folks at Apathy Press offered to publish her - first chapbook, in fact.
I will have to research more about Apathy Press Poets and Ms. Litsky
There Ain't No Flies on the Lamb of God
Morgan Press
Milwaukee, WI
(c) 1974
Unique book comprised of poems by poems and images of artists associated with or chosen by publisher Ed Burton. Plywood back cover. One of only 50 copies made. Hand printed with teak and hand woven wool cover. Jim Sorcic is among those presented in this collection. Jim Gibbons, Lyn Lifshin, Paul Grillo, and others round out this handsome and extremely rare book.
Jim Sorcic
Morgan Press
(c) 1991
Published the same year as his large book, This Could Lead to Dancing, this small unpaginated book used the same cover stock for both books. This book is dedicated to Rachel Orvino. Short prose pieces, basically about single parenting his daughter. Something I can relate to - differently.
The tale and the trail of this family through literary collapse continued for a time beyond This Could Lead to Dancing with the 1992 Morgan Press version of Jim's 1972 book one day, one long day... and his 1994 book Small Handbook for the Heart: The Adoption Poems because Jim adopted a (or two) young Vietnamese boys.
Two other things I would like to add here about Morgan Press. Morgan Press was Ed Burton and Jennifer Roanhouse and possibly others. It existed from the early 1970s into the 1990s. It began in Ed's basement in Milwaukee where he had an old letterpress and he made chapbooks, postcards and posters. According to Jim Gibbons. Gibbons' first book, Prime the Pump, was the first book printed by Morgan Press in 1970. Ed Burton had a wife, Vickie.
I know that jennie orvino moved to California. I don't know what became of Rachel Orvino. I hope she is happy and is doing well.
Jim Sorcic
Morgan Press
Milwaukee, WI
(c) 1980
A short story with some shadowing of the author's real life, imaged perhaps, or fictionalized to a degree but all the same : Sorcic has dropped any hint of the "orvino" part of his life.
Jennie Orvino
Milwaukee Feminist Printing Collective
Milwaukee, WI
(c) 1975
This chapbook is a collection of, as the poet stated herself, "scraps" of poetic output from 1973 - 1975.
Work that was produced during a critical time in her life. Here shown on back cover with her "special friend", Barbara. This chapbook is dedicated to her daughter, Rachel, as well as Barbara and to her mother who she is convinced will never read this booklet.
Fascinating time piece.
Jim Orvino-Sorcic
Morgan Press
Milwaukee, WI
(c)1974
Within the saga of this marriage coming apart while raising a daughter separately/together, in 1974 Jim was still publishing as "Orvino-Sorcic" even though this chapbook is dedicated to a different woman. It is an oddly sized book to be sure. The poems tell of the upheaval and disintegration of a relationship found to be "faked" with bitter consequences as must be lived. It's heart-wrenching and truthful. As good writing needs to be.
like a tree
jennie orvino
Gunrunner Press
Milwaukee, WI
This thin sliver of nothing seems to be the next in chronologic order, an undated brief sex poem illustrated by a Jim Forest. One of 250 printed.
Jim Orvino Sorcic
Interabang Books
(c)1972
Published the same year as Jennie Orvino's The Fish, the Virgin, and the Lion, this handsome chapbook is dedicated to their daughter Rachel. Jim has adopted his wife's name as his middle name (akin to John Ono Lennon) but there is no additional mention of her in this collection.
It's a pretty heavy chapbook, actually. The poem series is about George Armstrong Custer and a massacre that he is involved in, told from a child's point of view and dedicated to his newly born daughter. Heavy stuff. Beautifully created chapbook though. All the credit in the world to the publishers. The name INTERABANG lives on as a bookstore name in Dallas, Texas but I am not willing to say that the publisher in 1972 and the bookstore today are in any way connected.
January 14, 2019. The Fish, The Virgin, and the Lion by Jennie Orvino. Seems to have been self-published in 1972 with B&W photos by Barbara Gibson. Jennie has given birth to a daughter, Rachel, and is coming to terms with a side of herself that she had not previously felt - a lesbian nature. Barbara was more than a photographer in this scenario. As the poems in the collection reveal, and a page of photos of the two of them on a bed, innocently looking at the camera and then each other, this coming out was captured in real poetic time.
The collection was dedicated to daughter and husband but Barbara did get a special notice. In her bio on her website, all these years later, Jennie Orvino mentions that she lived in Milwaukee for 10 years. But that's all she mentions. No husband. No daughter. No coming out. Just the time she spent in the city. Scrubbed of their importance in her live. Or why she moved to California, where she still lives.
James Sorcic
Vertigo Publications
Wales, UK
(c)1970
Following some level of a chronologic order, this would be the next. A very thin chapbook printed in Wales in 1970. The interesting thing about this one is that the back cover has a write-up BY jennie orvino.
So, they were involved by 1970. The book is dedicated to and almost all the poems mention jennie orvino. (married? the booklet is dedicated to jennie orvino sorcic)
One of the poems contains the line "jennie give me my son". Ironically, they had a daughter. But that's a thread for another book and another posting.
Back in July I wrote that I would be discussing a relationship through the published works of two poets and then promptly started and meandered off topic as the Summer burned through now into the Fall. Jennie Orvino and James Sorcic. A relationship grows and collapses chronicled through a series of chapbooks.
Five Luminous Towers
Carol Barton
Popular Kinetics Press
Philadelphia, PA
(c)2001
Oddly sized booklet. Appears to be a student's final project at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. Spiral bound. Images corresponding to each piece. Interesting conceptual book.
James Sorcic
Gunrunner Press
Milwaukee, WI
(c) 1969
This is actually pretty important document. It's an anti-VIETNAM - war (draft) poetry blast. It harkens back to the time before the all volunteer military force. I almost said before endless war (with a nod to Daniel Collins) but the truth of the matter is that this country has been "at war" with someone or another since it's beginnings and two hundred years before that. Since the first European set foot on this continent. And prior to that, the Native peoples were at war with each other. So it goes back to the humans on this land mass, per se.
Also, it's the same James Sorcic who I mentioned two entries ago. Part of that thread of history through chapbooks that he and his wife had.
This is one of 300 copies printed at the time.
J. M. Allen
self published
(c) 2020
No information on the author nor the press, seems to have been a POD self published piece of work. I am not a fan of rhyming poetry. The collection is entirely composed of rhyming poetry. Next!
Fire in the Sun
James Sorcic
Gunrunner Press
Milwaukee, WI
(c)1968
This story through many poetry books begins here, with Jim. Before Jennie. Jim, before Morgan Press. Before his draft notice, before parenthood, before before before. Before - before Jim, there was Gunrunner Press. I need to learn more about that but I can see how Gunrunner was already in place and printing before Jim.
This 24 page staple-bound mini sized chapbook was the start of his publishing "career". And the beginning of this story as well.
