one day. one long day. a child looked over all that was. & was not pleased. at all. by jim sorcic (1972)

one day. one long day. a child looked over all that was. & was not pleased. at all

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. 

A Year from Yesterday by James Sorcic (1970)

A Year from Yesterday

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. 

meandering

       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. 

Letters to Lady Ruth, Queen of the S.S. System, Board 46 by James Sorcic (1969)

 Letters to Lady Ruth, Queen of the S.S. System, Board 46

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. 

Fire in the Sun by James Sorcic (1968)

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.