No Half-Measures Here by Michelle Brooks (2003)

No Half-Measures Here
Michelle Brooks


I would add additional information about this chapbook but it's uncertain. This book was the 2003 winner of The Ledge Poetry Chapbook Award. I had to research online to find out that The Ledge is the name of a magazine that does indeed sponsor the contest and that the magazine is located in Bellport, NY but none of that information is IN the chapbook.

I digress. It's a good starting point for Ms. Brooks who has two collections published since this "tiny" as well as a novel. Everybody's got to start somewhere!

The Platonic Blow and My Epitaph by W. H. Auden (1985)

The Platonic Blow and My Epitaph
W. H. Auden
Orchises Press
Washington, DC
(c)1985

A number of years ago now I had a copy of this tiny booklet containing two poems. It was published in 1985 by Orchises Press which at the time was located in Washington, DC. The Press is now firmly located in Alexandria, VA just south as the river flows. I was taken then as now by the disclaimer on the front cover "Please Read Before Opening - This is a piece of homosexual pornography. If such material shocks or offends you, do not open this book...." and it goes on from there on the inside cover so in order to read the full explanation or apology or whatever the publisher was attempting to say, one needs to actually open the book that they were just warned against doing. Interesting. And, yes, there is porn - in words. The flashing red description of this booklet would suggest PORNOGRAPHY which in most minds would be visual and not in print. I have a book by Stanley Fisher, an obscure bit of mimeo from the 1960s that has pornographic images on the front and back cover. No attempt to hide anything there.

I said I did have - because I mailed the copy I had to a friend and figured I would never see another copy of it again. And I can happily say that I was wrong. For the Auden completist, this is worth having. Orchises has gone on to publish dozens of titles, none as thin or primitive as this one which suggests that it's early in the life of the press.

The Hancock Shakers (1961)

The Hancock Shakers
Edward Deming Andrews
Shaker Community, Inc.
Hancock, MA
(c)1961


The history of the Shakers is fascinating in the US. Shakers were more than a community of believers, they were also craftspersons of distinctive and original works of furniture and art. This 39 page booklet is in actuality the first publication of previously unpublished manuscript records including the documents "A Book of Records kept by Daniel Goodrich" and "Manuscripts found among the writings of Deacon Daniel Goodrich, Senior after his decease." Deacon Goodrich, one of the principle founders of the Hancock Society, died in March, 1807, at the age of 68.

This is a gem of a booklet and especially collectible among members of this community. It was also beautifully done.

A Tokyo Stroll by Herschel Silverman (2002)

A Tokyo Stroll
Herschel Silverman
Sisphus Chapbook Series #5
(c)2002


Sometime before 2007 I had a postcard exchange that led to a packet of chapbooks arriving from NYC - based poet Steve Dalachinsky. One of the items he sent me was this tiny chapbook by Herschel Silverman. Part of the same series that produced his own chapbook which I mentioned back in 2007 (chapbook #16), the cover art was by Yuko Otomo. Since it was signed, I prompt put it in my collection without - unfortunately - another thought until today when I was reading the original article by John Clellon Holmes in which he first used the term "Beat Generation" and along the border on the first I saw this piece and said to myself "Hey, I know that name!" and then I went into my catacomb of chapbooks and found this gem.

As if often the case with talented but mostly forgotten individuals - once the spotlight has been turned off, so too does the attention. This chapbook consists of two poems: Lift Off #21: A Tokyo Stroll and Cittee Cittee Cittee #2 which first appeared in Talisman #13. The article by Levi Asher does him more justice than I could possibly and it is interesting to note that a book of his collected work does use the same title as this "little sliver of nothing". He is not forgotten.

all small caps Anthology 2 (2008)

all small caps
Anthology 2
Wendell, MA
(c) 2008

This is a regional publication for the reading series that was located at the Deja Brew in Wendell, MA. These publications are very good to have since they give one a breath and depth to the poetry happening in areas outside of NY or SF (or wherever popular opinion would suggest that art happens). This particular volume is dedicated to a recently deceased poet named Doris Abramson. Some of her work appears in the anthology, along with poems by Heather Willey, Mark Hart, Janet MacFadyen, Bill O'Connell. Mathew Kane, Adam Golaski, Candace Curran, Howard Faerstein, Dina Stander, Andrew Hughes, Dustin Williamson, and bg Thurson. The only poet in this collection I heard of is the last poet in it. Brenda Iijima - Yo-Yo Labs. It's a worthwhile regional collection to have.

Christian Liberty by Martin Luther (1967)

Christian Liberty
Martin Luther
Fortress Press
Philadelphia, PA
(c)1967

This is a booklet with a little (Philly) history to it. Augsburg Fortress is the merged Press that in 1967 was still an independent Lutheran publishing concern headquartered in Philadelphia. Fortress Press was the publishing arm of the Lutheran Church of America after 1962 when the denominations merged to make the "unified" Lutheran Church as it is known in the US today. The forerunner of Fortress Press was the Henkel Press which was named by the son of Paul Henkel. And suddenly we are in the 18th century. And one opens this booklet and they are in 1520 at the dawn of the Reformation.

I have, somewhere, another booklet by Fortress Press but I can't locate it at this moment. Amiss, shuckens and heck.

The First Book of Japan by Helen Mears (1953)

The First Book of Japan
Helen Mears
illustrated by Kathleen Elgin
D. C. Heath and Company
Boston, MA
(c)1953

8 years after Hiroshima, 8 years after the end of WWII, this "children's book" appeared. Beautifully illustrated throughout by Kathleen Elgin. The book is an introduction to Japan and its culture less than a decade after the carnage and horrors of the war. In these 68 pages, a story of Japanese culture is revealed as told by two children. Great care is taken in the presentation of the various aspects of Japanese culture that were shown in the book. Timely as ever.

To Darkness by Beth Martinelli (2007)

To Darkness
Beth Martinelli
Finishing Line Press
Georgetown, KY
(c) 2007

Not a fan of Finishing Line Press but the poems here are good. Worth the effort to find and read. Definitely.

Trees of West Virginia Farms and Woodlots (2000)

Trees of West Virginia Farms and Woodlots
West Virginia Dept. of Agriculture
2000

Detailed listing of trees to be found in West Virginia. For what it is, is impressive. Not poetry : not all booklets and chapbooks that I mention are. This one, not poetry, is full of images and names of trees which I have both heard of, and not.

New River by Gail Peck (1993)

New River
Gail Peck
North Carolina Writers' Network
Carrboro, NC
(c)1993

Local flavor. Winner of the 1993 Harperprints Poetry Chapbook Competition. Presentation-wise the book is average. Poetry-wise the work is good in a narrative way that appeals to many people.

The Juggler of Our Lady (1977)

The Juggler of Our Lady
an old and of't told tale
The Rose Valley Press
Moylan, PA
(c)1977

One of my greatest pleasures of this entire pursuit is going to bookstores in places I have never been to before and taking some of their regional "wares" with me, like this tiny gem. I found it in a bookstore in Ardmore, PA close to the Rose Valley named in the Press. The Illustrator, Gus Uhlmann, seems to have been well known in the region. This tiny tiny was letter pressed with colored illustrations by Mr. Uhlmann. It's a most handsome book indeed. Glad to have it.

two tiny chaps by Shawn Broden

I am not sure who sent two thin xeroxed chapbooks from shawn broden but I feel for the trees that were cut down to make them.

Hands-On Saints by Holly Iglesias (2000)

Hands-On Saints
Holly Iglesias
Quale Press
Florence, MA
(c)2000

A very good collection of prose poetry.

Yes, that was about all I was going to say about this chapbook. Generic grey cover. Edition key Satch(el) with an ISBN number on the back cover. Quale published prose poetry and this was one of their chapbooks that produced quarterly. There was an electronic version of this book available as well. Forward thinking for 2000? Indeed.

Prose poetry is a fickle fish. To the ear of someone raised on nursery rhyme poetics, it sounds strange. It doesn't sound like poetry at all. That's one of the many fault with our modern education system: the notion that seems to be reenforced is that the old ways are the best ways (of learning). I do not believe that to be the case but I am not an educator employed by the system I would be upholding. As there no single poetic form, there can be no single way to learn how to read or appreciate poetry. This is a fine example of this form.

Pieces by Bonni McKeown (1978)

Pieces
Bonni McKeown
self published
West Virginia
(c)1978

I was out in Front Royal, VA over the weekend and went into the most famous bookstore in the town, and found this "chapbook" and I say it like that because it's 82 pages which is well over what a staple-bound chapbook ought to be. But this the author of this book did, twice. 1978 was an important year for Ms. McKeown. She published two versions of this chapbook in two different towns in West Virginia. I am sure that the backstory would be fascinating but I don't know it. What I see is a book that tries very hard, and doesn't really make the statement I imagine the author intended to.

3 views of Aaron Simon

Wrote this about Aaron Simon on this blog in #11:

Carrier
Aaron Simon
©2006
Insurance Editions
Jackson Heights, NY

Insurance Editions makes quality chapbooks, period. Carrier by Aaron Simon is no exception. It’s a small book, 6 3/4 X 5 1/4. The paper stock and quality of printing are to be commended. I will note that the book was printed at Oscar Printing Company of San Francisco, CA and it is a superb job. The 34 prose poems are equal to the production of the book. I would say that this is a fine book and if you not yet familiar with Mr. Simon’s work, as I was not, it behooves you to find and read whatever Aaron was brought out. You are in for a treat.


Nobody writes about chapbooks for God's sake, and our first child, Julia, was born and I was the "stay-at-home" and I was there with our daughter and I started to write about chapbooks because I publish chapbooks (via Plan B Press) and because of a single chapbook I found somewhere -

- and I started to gather them, and once I started blogging about chapbooks some small presses in Brooklyn started sending copies to me for review which (remember the whole "having a newborn baby at home thing? that was real") and newborn babies need a LOT of attention. Anyway, Carrier was one of those that arrived from Insurance Editions, thank you Insurance Editions!"

then, I got :

Periodic Days
Green Zone
Brooklyn, NY
(c)2007

: this from Green Zone, another of those small Brooklyn presses. This is a departure from the first book. These are not prose pieces. These are more structural. Very good poems. Thank you, Green Zone.

These two chapbooks have been in one of my growing number of plastic bins filled with chapbooks since 2006, and recently I decided to see if Aaron was "fineable" on the net - yes, he's in San Francisco and he would love to sign my copies of his books! I send them to him, very happily. I love having authors sign their books! And to my surprise, he adds :

Senses Himself
GreenZoneEditions
Brooklyn, NY

: which he also quite graciously signed. This collection mirrors the second. Great poetry!
All three are very good collections. Thanks, Aaaron, for the work!

Spotted Doe by Rina Drescher (2016)

Spotted Doe
Rina Drescher
Blah Blah Blah press
Rochester, NY
(c)2016

I applaud the effort here. It's an artist book. It's a second printing of it. I want to like it more than I can though. It's xerox page printing, cheap cheap cheap. The cover material is interesting but the contents are not. Blah Blah Blah is right.

Six Dutch Hearts by Mac Hammond (1977)

Six Dutch Hearts
Mac Hammonds
The Bellevue Press
Binghamton, NY
(c)1977

A slender chapbook by chapbook standards. Signed by the poet inside back. Handsome little thing. Hand-sewn. Six poems about dogs.

A Ranch Bordering the Salty River by Stephen Page (2016)

A Ranch Bordering the Salty River
Stephen Page
Finishing Line Press
Georgetown, KY
(c)2016

The author sent me this book from Argentina. I told him that I would mention it. I just did.

Fuzz in Japan by Emma M. Maguire (1913)

Fuzz in Japan
Emma M. Maguire
published jointly by F.A.Owen Publishing Co. (Dansville, NY) and Hall & McCreary (Chicago, IL)
(c)1913

Yes, I did write 1913. This 32 page "instructor literature series - no. 290" booklet was part of an educational series with illustrations that came at the at the beginning of the last century. Apparently Fuzz is a young girl. The booklet is in remarkable condition considering its age, and the wear usually heaped on books of this nature.

The Seeing Glass by Katie Louchheim (1979)

The Seeing Glass
Katie Louchheim
Monomoy Press
Washington, DC
(c)1979

Monomoy Press was a DC - based Press which was distributed by Dryad Press. This copy was inscribed and signed by the poet. Ms. Louchheim led a colorful life, her obit was tucked into the copy of the book I found as well. She lived in Washington and New York throughout her life. She worked at the State Department as well as holding several Democratic party positions, rising to Vice Chairperson of the Democratic Party from 1956-1960.

This handsome collection is one of her volumes of poetry. She was known for her DC salons where art and politics mingled.

Around Celebes by Alain-Pierre Pillet (1990)

Around Celebes
Alain-Pierre Pillet
Hourglass
Paris France
(c)1990

Alain Pillet is not well known in the United States. He died in 2009. What I found about his life (and death) were Google-translated. This book is fairly rare. It was published by Peter Wood who also co-translated the contents. The illustrator of this book is Rik Lina. Lina is an amazing artist.

Pillet was considered a Bretonist within Surrealist circles. This work reflects that observation. It's a fantastic little collection. So glad to have it.

Carvings on a Prayer Tree by Jim Peterson (1994)

Carvings on a Prayer Tree
Jim Peterson
Holocene
Wofford College
Spartanburg, SC
(c)1994

Don't know much about the press, which seems to be a literary wing of the Wofford College English Dept., or rather WAS in 1994. The work seems to be a direct descendent of the "I-did-this - and - I - did - that" type of New York School poetics which becomes quite tiresome after awhile. In this case, before a while. Primarily, I am acknowledging the existence of.....

Here at the Door by Janine Pommy Vega (1978)

Here at the Door
Janine Pommey Vega
Zonepress
Brooklyn, NY
(c)1978

Like so many chapbooks, this one came as part of a much larger lot and was not written about or acknowledged - until now. It came from a lot I got from a poet in New York state. I only dug it out now because Janine's companion, Andy Clausen, had posted himself reading a poem by Vegas a few years ago on a Facebook group and that piece appearing on the page recently and me thinking 'wait, I have a book by her!' Which I did, this one!

The cover image was provided by Martin Carey. Zonepress is a bit of a mystery but many small presses are/were. Ms. Vega was associated with the Beats. This tiny sliver of nothing is primarily about Death stopping by, on her fingertips, for a round of inspiration.

There by Francesco Clemente and Robert Creeley (1994)

There
Robert Creeley and Francesco Clemente
Gasgosian Gallery
NYC, NY
(c)1994

Very handsome gallery produced item for an exhibition by Mr. Clemente's show entitled "Purgatorio". One of only 1000 printed. Color images of some of Clemente's painting with a corresponding poem provided by Robert Creeley. Beautiful work, beautifully done.

Book of Ten by Harriet Zinnes (1981)

Book of Ten
Harriet Zinnes
The Bellevue Press
Binghamton, NY

I have mentioned several times that Bellevue Press has been an overlooked small press of high quality books and here's another example of that. Hand-sewn binding of letterpressed pages lovingly made by Stuart McCarty who deserves notice for his fine work with Bellevue Press. He was a printer extraordinaire.

The Burden of Time by Bradford Stark (1976)

The Burden of Time
Bradford Stark
The Bellevue Press
Binghamton, NY
(c)1976

Like so many books by Bellevue Press, this is an exquisite example of a hand-stitched chapbook on hand-made paper. Just a thing of beauty and quality missing from so many small press books. The poetry is terrific as well.

Gingko Leaves and Cellograss by Laura M. White (1978)

Gingko Leaves and Cellograss
Laura M. White
The Bellevue Press
Binghamton, NY
(c) 1978

Hand sewn chapbook. I am a bit confused as to why the publisher single-sided the poems. A lot of empty pages. The book isn't thick to begin with. The poems are okay. The cover image is good. Nothing remarkable. Perhaps the publisher should have stayed with bringing Ms. White out on broadsides.

The Women Who Drink at the Sea by Cecile Goding (1992)

The Women Who Drink at the Sea
Cecile Goding
State Street Press
Brockport, NY
(c)1992

Handsome chapbook of fine poetry. The poet-turned-playwright has lived in the Iowa City area for years. This is her earliest book. It's a gem.

The Man Who Burned Money by Barbara Unger (1980)

The Man Who Burned Money
Barbara Unger
The Bellevue Press
(c)1980

With a drawing by Michael Tanzer. Handsome chapbook. A single poem. This copy signed by the artist. Near perfect blending of art and text. Very fine indeed.

who was Hunce Voelcker?

The Hart Crane Voyages
Hunce Voelcker
Brownstone Press
NYC, NY
(c)1969

This is a start of an investigation as much as anything. A few months ago, I saw and became interested in reading a book entitled The Hart Crane Voyages published in 1969 by Brownstone Press, NYC. I got the copy I did because it was signed - and it was, by a family member to another family member basically saying "remember our relative". The fact that it was sold suggests that the relative opted not to remember. Sad when that happens.

It turns out that this book is a "biography" of Hart Crane. Prose/poetry/sumptin'. With footnotes. Also illustrated as well. But the illustrations are absolutely terrible. Like bad kid drawings terrible. Dregs. Ugh. If ever a book needed a redo, this one is it. And the funny thing is that this book by Brownstone is a redo - an original version of this book was made by cowstone press (NYC). I wish I had a copy of that version because once I decided to research this 'Hunce Voelcker' person I came to find out that he published other books of poetry and prose and that his first chapbook was called joy rock statue ship and was published in 1968 by cowstone press. It was designed and illustrated by a Don Lewis.

joy rock statue ship
Hunce Voelcker
cowstone press
NYC, NY
(c)1968

from a strictly visual aesthetic, the chapbook by cowstone is superior. Every page of the chapbook has an image on it. Beautifully done. This Don Lewis person took great care in putting this chapbook together. It's really something to strive for. I am extremely happy to have it. My research suggests that Voelcker and Lewis collaborated on a few cowstone press books in 1968 - 1969.

Hunce Voelcker was born in Pennsylvania in 1940. He ended up in San Francisco and was part of the Jack Spicer group. There's an established poetry contest bearing his name. He died early, perhaps during the AIDS epidemic.

I will continue to research the man. I am also interested in knowing more about this Don Lewis cat, his work in this chapbook was stellar.

The Book of Truants & Projectorlight by Joshua Marie Wilkinson (2006)

The Book of Truants & Projectorlight
Joshua Marie Wilkinson
Octopus Books
Lincoln, NE
(c)2006

This is the 8th book in the packet from the Octopus - this one a book of prose poems, primarily. Good stuff. Acknowledgments and hat tipping through misty mornings. Now 10 years dated but still fresh as tomorrow.

The Tides by Genya Turovskaya (2006)

The Tides
Genya Turovskaya
Octopus Books
(c)2006

Another in the 8 pronged attack from Octopus Books. 31 pages of a splattering of ink on mostly empty pages. The book is good, but sparse. As I am reading through the 8 chapbooks, I am noting the sparseness. More empty space than words. Beautiful covers masking few words.

a blog as a zine, electronic?

I am currently reading the 2005 book The Rise of Lo-Fi Culture by Amy Spencer and I am reading about zines and while this book is a bit dated now, it got me thinking how blogs have taken over - generally, and quite successfully - for zines. But there is something lost in the electronica; the fact that one is holding something REAL. So, I am wondering if I should make a paper form of this chap*book blog. Who on earth would care to read it? How many? I mean, if I were out there and had this particular interest (the obsession that leads me to do this blog) wouldn't it excite me to see someone else bring out such a zine? Of course it would. But hasn't that ship already sailed?

I could never write about every single chapbook ever made - no one could. There are chapbooks that have been landfilled, destroyed by fire or neglect. Promised and never brought out. All manner of reasons and excuses. There isn't a single location in the United States where chapbooks are collected. The Library of Congress? um, no. I remember when I was at Robin's Bookstore in Philadelphia, and would spend time in the myriad shelves of the basement there which were filled with small run chapbooks by lesser (or un-) known Afro-American authors. Not collected at Temple University or anywhere else. Not written about or reviewed. Just there on those shelves. Well, that bookstore is going and the space where all those chapbooks were located has been converted into a restaurant. So what became of all those books?

When poet Lou McKee died in Philadelphia I had heard that he had an extensive collection of chapbooks - but that they were kept in a place where they were exposed to moisture and most were ruined. Losses upon losses. The fabulous book A Secret Location on the Lower East Side delves into a good deal of the parallel universe of Mimeo and chapbooks with incredible listings of Presses long gone but relevant. But even that book would have to be dwarfed by an honest full listing of every publisher from every region or state, and a listing of the folks actually published by those Presses. The numbers would be staggering. And we really only know about those who went on to achieve work of greater note. Some poets only published with small presses. Others were themselves established poets who were equally adapt at being publishers.

Should I even think about this further or just publish and move on?

The Berkeley Bead Game by Julia Vinograd (1971)

The Berkeley Bead Game
Julia Vinograd
Cody's Books
Berkeley, CA
(c)1971

Ms. Vinograd's entire life has been one of being a street poet and advocate for those society has chosen to ignore. This is her second collection. The pomes remind me of the work of Philadelphia-based poet Charlie O'Hay. A poet of the street. Who lived the street. In the case of Ms. Vinograd, it's been 50 years of labor. Great collection of grit, street, and human cast-aways.

The Continuing Misadventures of Andrew, the Headless Talking Bear by Jonah Winter (2006)

The Continuing Misadventures of Andrew, the Headless Talking Bear
Jonah Winter
Octopus Books
(c) 2006

Tiny gem. Great collection of work in a small package. Worth the read.

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.