Post by Admiral ZodPost by Will DockeryPost by ZodWashington State University Libraries Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections
Guide to the Lynn R. Hansen Underground Comics Collection 1899-1994
SC 003.2
http://ntserver1.wsulibs.wsu.edu/masc/finders/sc003_2.htm#idm1263056608
Demon House Theatre by Will Dockery
number 2
--------------------------------------------
https://poopsheetfoundation.com/index.php/pf-database/mini-comics/reference-materials/comic-update-13-roller
Series Tag Comic Update
Issue 13
Publisher Andrew Roller
Publishing Imprint Roller Publications
City, State / Province Sacramento, California
Country USA
Month April 10
Year 1987
Notes
Mini-comic listings and pot-stirring.
Two one-sided sheets.
It appears that copies of this issue also came with William Dockery's Demon House Theatre #1 mini.
------------------------------------
I remember those, Roller printed hundreds of copies of your poetry books "Felt" and "Green Ringlets also....
I mentioned making a deal like that with him but we never got to it....
I found a short review id "Felt", also, by Mike Gunderloy, from May 1991:
-------------------------------------------------
William Dockery, FELT (50* from 2108 15th Ave., Phenix City,
AL 36867): A few shifting poems from Dockery. The lead, untitled
piece is the most developed, an eerie watery poem of a strange
mythology in a world where the angels are apparently the bad gys.
(M-8r/MG)
https://archive.org/stream/factsheet_five_42/factsheet_five_42_djvu.txt
And, the complete poetry reviews section of Factsheet 5 from May 1991:
--------------------------------------------------
FACTSHEET FIVE #42 (May 1991)
Poetry Reviews
Steve Abee, DIE FOR LOVE ($2 from 1408 N. Curson, Los
Angeles, CA 90046): Poetry anchored firmly in the experience of the
natural world. Steve seems to deeply feel a connection with the
world, as well as a connection with Christ, and both come through
in his free-form, fl owing poetry. Stuff to think ab out. (D-27r/MG)
Ron Androla, A MUTATED AMERICAN DRAMA ($5 from
Translucent Tendency Press, 3226 Raspberry, Erie, PA 16508): A fine
collection of Ron's down and dirty working class poetry. He writes
of and from a culture of bars and rudeness and passing sexual
encounters and occasional epiphanies prompted by the shape of
American culture. Bursts of rage echo between stretches of
observation. (D-40t /MG) __
ARROYO Encore issue (50* (?) from Rane Arroyo, PO Box 7157,
Pittsburgh, PA 15213): A pair of poems here, one each from Rane
Arroyo and Glenn Sheldon, who seem to be popping up quite a
bit in the small press. These longish poems are both award winners,
with Glenn's being the more convoluted and Rane's a nice piece of
historical expositio n. (S-6t/MG) _
D.S. Black, OIL BLACK HUMOR ($1 (?) from Atlantis Express,
537 Jones St. #9156, San Francisco, CA 94102): A small selection of
anti-war and related poems. His updated "Milton '91" struck a chord
for me, the stately nonsense of war most boldly reve aled. (HL-8t/MG)
BLANK GUN SILENCER #1 ($2 from Dan Nielsen, 1240 William
St., Racine, WI 53402): A new poetry mag out on the borders of
the wastelands somewhere, mixing old and new names. John Yamrus
is one of the new voices (at least to me), but his no-capitals poetry
captures well some of the depression of life on the edge. Joel Dailey
and Gerald Lockli n are among the more familiar f aces. (D-28r/MG)
Jonathan Brannen, SIRLOIN CLOUDS ($1 & a stamp from Geof
Huth, 317 Princetown Rd., Schenectady, NY 12306): A collection of
short visual poems, where the form of the poem and the words
interlock well. One of my favorites is simply "heartheartheart".
"noem" is also fu n, if paradoxical. (M-16t/MG)
Les Bridges, THE COLOR OF BLOOD ($1 CASHIStamps for 3
chaps including this one from Steven Hatman, 1610 Avenue P #6-B,
Brooklyn, NY 11229): More street-smart observational poems from
Les. Whether it is a relative committing suicide out of grief or a
trip on the night bus, his sharp, pungent descriptions do a perfect
job of capturing the moment. (HS-8/MG) _
THE CAFE REVIEW Vol. 2 #3 ($2 from Yes Books, 20 Danforth
St., Portland, ME 04101): A monthly collection of poetry, tending
towards the finely crafted end of the spectrum, often with many
layers of meaning packed inside. #3 includes more Mad Girl work
from Lyn Lifshin, a convoluted post Viet Nam poem from Roy
Zarucchi, and intri cate work by Dan Raphael. (D-3 2t/MG)
THE CAMBODUNUM CHAPBOOK COMPANION ($2 from
Steve Sneyd, 4 Nowell Place, Almondbury, Huddersfield, West
Yorkshire, HD5 8PB, ENGLAND): This is not precisely poetry; rather
it is about poetry. More precisely, it is a compilation of titles and
dates for chapbook poetry collections issued over the last several
decades by poets connected with Huddersfield. The inside back cover
reproduces a curiosity, a good example of the news-based "disaster
poem", concerning a train wreck. (D-12/MG) _
Stephen Ciacciarelli,SHE SAID ($4.00 from Jose Padua, 44 Avenue
B #4A, New York, NY 10009): Private poems which have no particular
theme except for the poet's impressions on a wide variety of subjects.
I found some of the poems to be a bit inaccessible because of their
private nature. They have a New York City feel to them—impersonal
yet probing. (D-16 /CG) __
COFFEEHOUSE POETS' QUARTERLY Spring 1991 ($2 from PO
Box 15123, San Luis Obispo, CA 94306): The title is a nice touch;
it's easy to imagine most of these poets somewhere, scribbling away
in their little notebooks. Ray Foreman writes a cool spiel with "Of
Men and Wars and Cigarettes" while Will Inman takes the reader
to a homeless shelter. Plenty more to choose from too. On the
serious, non-experi mental side. (D-36t/MG) _
Jo Cohen, FIRES (25* & a stamp from Ether Telegrams, 2108
15th Ave., Phenix City, AL 36867): Simple direct poetry, of dancing
in the streets, metaphorical fires in a life, good times and bad times.
The importance of family is the underlying theme . (M-8/MG)
COKEFISH Apr. 1991 ($4 from Ana Pine, PO Box 683, Long
Valley, NJ 07853): This one tends to be an overwhelming read; Ana
uses a shoehorn to fit more and more material into each issue,
leading to a certain feeling of drowning in new poetry. A few
poems, like whitecaps, catch the eye as I'm going down: Larry
Blandino having dinner with a feminist, Richard Kostelanetz exploring
the resonances of language, Arthur Winfield Knight with a man far
gone in alcohol an d despair. (S-42/MG) _
THE CONVICT Vol. 1 #1 ($1 from Media Queen, 8825 Roswell
Rd. #474, Atlanta, GA 30350): This is not some imitation of life in
prison. Rather, it's the real thing, poetry written in prison by
convicted killer Snake Woolum. He tends to concentrate on what
made him what he is today, bad upbringing, the terrible circum¬
stances he's in, the frail hope that he might get out again. (D-8t/MG)
David Craig, PITY US WHITE BOYS ($1 from Mole" Magazine,
PO Box 5033, Herndon, VA 22070): A selection of poetry with a
few bits of short prose thrown in, all seeming to come from an
adolescent insecure background. Craig dreams of a zit-popping
contest, writes of fear and guilt, and explores the inadequacies of
life in the suburbs . (D-16/MG) _
THE DAVID THOMAS ROBERTS BROADSIDE #6 (SASE from
PO Box 5243, Kreole Sta., Moss Point, MS 39563): Four poems and
a surreal drawing, all from David. "Charming material past its known
potential" is one line wrenched out of context, but somehow it
captures what's go ing on here. (S-2/MG) _
William Dockery, FELT (50* from 2108 15th Ave., Phenix City,
AL 36867): A few shifting poems from Dockery. The lead, untitled
piece is the most developed, an eerie watery poem of a strange
mythology in a world where the angels are apparently the bad gys.
(M-8r/MG) _
Mark DuCharme, LIFE COULD BE A DREAM ($2.50 from Last
Generation Press, 2965 13th St., Boulder, CO 80304): A collection of «
dreamy pieces, cutup poems, weird streaming pieces that are only
poems by virtue of an awkward split into lines. Structure seems to
predominate over meaning here, the juxtaposition of images more
important than an y coherent plot. (S-60/MG) _
DUSTY DOG Vol. 2 #1 ($4 from PO Box 1103, Zuni, NM 87327):
A thrice-yearly elegant review of poetry. In this issue Hugh Fox's
longish "Father of the Bride" stands out, while Harold Witt's short
"Mrs. Asquith Decides She Shouldn't Read Yeats Before Bedtime"
is an amusing little jaunt. Also out in April was an "Additional
Issue" which adds chapbook reviews and announces plans to
transform into an annual zine with chapbooks betw een. (D-32t/MG)
Cynthia Farar, SUN ON THE WOOD MAN DIES ($3.50 from
Serrano-Lantana Press, 3321 E. 1st St., Austin, TX 78702): The title
aptly demonstrates the trouble I have with this book: it's just too
darned poetic. Cynthia has clearly crafted her words for effect here,
and the imagery I can untangle is striking, but the phrases carry
so much information in so little space as to be overwhelming. I did
appreciate the lead poem in the "Justice" section, though; it just
required some wo rk. (D-36t/MG) r _
Ray Foreman, OF MEN AND WARS AND CIGARETTES ($2
from Blue Feather Press, PO Box 15123, San Luis Obispo, CA 93406):
Foreman is an observer of the human condition, and his poems are
focused on humans, whether they be trying to die with dignity or living with fervor. "Walt Whitman Meets the Doctors Frankenstein"
is a look at the pl ace of the poet in our society t oday. (D-32t/MG)
Celestine Frost, THE CHOICE (PO Box 6877, New York, NY
10128-0008): An intricate poem which seems to revolve mainly around
the annoying responsibility of freedom—I think. Naming the birds
in Genesis comes into it, along with children growing up and leaving
the nest, and othe r images, loosely connected. (D -18t/MG)
Gobi & White Boy, ZOMBIE MAN IT AIN'T MY PLAN TO
FEED MY CHILDREN TO YOUR CLAN ($2 (?) from Colander Man
Publishing, PO Box 18754, Rochester, NY 14618): A collection of
poetry, mainly (I think) by Gobi, with an insert from Weinman. The
poetry is something like cut-up erotica, with several poems appearing
in multiple version s. A weird dreamy riff. (D-16r/M G)
GRAPEVINE Vol. V #1 ($1 (?) from 1946 Wheaton, Claremont,
CA 91711): A collection of poetry and artwork that seems to be
informed by a Christian worldview. There is much here about
stopping to enjoy life, being aware of what's going on, and similar
subjects. The work seems careful and at times a bit didactic.
(S-14t/MG) _
HAMMERS #3 ($4 from doublestar press, 1718 Sherman #205,
Evanston, IL 60201): A selection of contemporary poetry, fairly
mainstreamish, and eschewing too much experimental work. They
also don't mind publishing fairly long poems and giving them room
to breathe. Jeffrey Spahr-Summers scores with "Mary Jane Doesn't
Live Here Anymore", while Robert P. Beveridge provides the
amusing "Conversation With Plato Over a Bottle of Sambuca"—and
those are just two of many. (S-44t/MG) _
THE HARTLAND POETRY QUARTERLY Vol.l #4(Contact 168
S. Fremont, Romeo, MI 48065): Traditional poetry deeply rooted in
romantic images and sentiment. Many of the poets write of love
and loss, while others speak of loneliness, the seasons and baseball.
Also very good p oetry reviews. (D-30t/CG) _
Michael Hathaway,GOD POEMS (Three first class stamps from
Mulberry Press, POBox 782288, Wichita, KS 67278): A collection of
personal God poems from the editor ofCHIRON REVIEW. They are
highly personal, which makes them eminently more readable—kind
of like spirituality with more than a dose of the human touch. I
loved the questions he asks about heaven in Sunday school:"do you
mean/i could ride dinosaurs/& sing with Mama Cass?" (D-14/CG)
Terri Havens, STUCK (SASE & a stamp from 301 Court St.,
Little Valley, NY 14755): A mini chapbook of poetry that seems a
bit less angry than some of Terri's more Gothic pieces. It's still
definitely in the dark and gloomy vein, but the more resigned sorrow
of a vampire at dawn. (M-8/MG)
Michael Helsem, CONYGRY ($1 from 1031 De Witt Cir., Dallas,
TX 75224): "A volquardsyn lipogram in riming triads". The only part
of that which I can elucidate is that this entire structured poem was
written without the letter "e". All manner of foreign terms creep
in, and the rhythm reminds me of, say Dante—or something equally
classic and tough to penetrate nowadays. (HL-28/MG)
Sister Mary Ann HennJIGSAW SOLVER andNUN-HUMAN
($2.50 each (?) from Sr. Mary Ann Henn, St. Benedict's Convent,
St. Joseph, MN 56374): Very personal poems from the days and
thoughts of Sister Mary Ann, mostly about what it's like to be a
nun. Which is fascinating, especially for those of us who still view
them as saintly, mysterious beings. Family reactions, identity
questions, the calm and the storm of it all, questions from friends
and relatives and sometimes anger-tinged replies populate these
poems. There's also a touching sequence of feelings about the faith
she has in herself and how she views her life ("like a lace").
(D-24/CG) _
Crag Hill, READING HIS MARGIN ($2.50 from Geof Huth, 317
Princetown Rd., Schenectady, NY 12306): A collection of terse poetry
from Hill, who tends to elevate structure well over meaning...though
the skeletalness here tends to make it easy to read your own meaning
into things like "One sentence with two main verbs/stares at his
shoes." (HS-12t/MG)_
Erin Hooper, FOR THE CAUSE OF GRAVITY IS WHAT I DO
NOT PRETEND TO KNOW ($2 (?) from 3331 Quartz Ln. D4,
Fullerton, CA 92631): Short poems from Erin, many informed but
not dominated by her Christian faith, and with illustrations by Korey
Maas and Pamela Stoughton. Lots of bits of love lost and found
here, as well as the continuing search for a still small center.
(D-48/MG) _
Tom House, I AINT RETARDED BUT... ($1 from Mulberry
Press, PO Box 782288, Wichita, KS 67278): A couple of snappy street
poems from the seedy side of society. Tom hits the bars and the
docks, with a combination of braggadocio and desperation in his
voice. The poetry of the lost people. (D-8/MG)
Albert Huffstickler, PEOPLE ($2 from Sigh Press, 1204 W. 9th,
Austin, TX 78703): Huffstickler has retired, and is combining new
poems and old in chapbooks at an increasing rate. This is a good
one, looks at people from a big man touched by death to a frail
but strong Mexican girl. His distinction between poets and failed
novelists is quite a musing. (D-16t/MG) _
Albert Huffstickler, WHEN TO COOK A POT OF PINTO BEANS
($5 from 312 E. 43rd St. #103, Austin, TX 78751): A single poem
from Albert, presented broadside fashion on 11x17 heavy stock. (The
price covers mailing in a tube). It enumerates some of the times in
life when you will find this elemental food beneficial; pinto beans
seem to be a sort of modem talisman in this case . (O-lt/MG)
IMPETUS ($3.00 Sample copy from Cheryl Townsend, 4975
Comanch Trail, Stow, OH 44224[make checks payable to Cheryl
Townsend]): Cheryl must have to go through piles and piles of
poetry to compile this journal of poetry from a wide spectrum of
contributors, most of which brings about a feeling of "Hey, even I
can appreciate poetry." This is readable and mostly absent of that
manipulation that's present in so many poets. Especially good were
the offerings of Albert Huffstickler in his ode to old women's private
parts and Pat Mc Kinnon's "My Father is a Lesbian ." (HL-52r/CG)
IN REMEMBRANCE #7 ($1.50 from Jenny Soup, PO Box
1168-584, Studio City, CA 91604): A collection of somewhat gloomy
poetry interspersed with intricate reproduced engravings and
wallpaper backgrounds. The effect is something like High Gothic,
downbeat stuff presented with perfect correctness, the stiff upper
lip slowly dissolvi ng beneath the cares of the wor ld. (20t/MG)
iota #13 ($1.25 CASH from David Holliday, 67 Hady Crescent,
Chesterfield, Derbyshire, S41 0EB, ENGLAND): A poetry quarterly
featuring works from both sides of the Atlantic. They print a variety
of work, including D. Whippman's condensed history in "Troy: The
Facts" and William Imra/s brief look at a Cornish legend. Good
for browsing. (D-3 2/MG) _
Bruce Isaacson,THE NEW ROMANTICS ($4.00 from Apathy Press
Poets, 2924 E. Coldspring Lane, Baltimore, MD 21214): Impressive
perceptions of the poet's life that sound familiar only because many
of us have had similar thoughts and didn't have the talent to record
them in just the right way. Isaacson is a poet, and yet he writes
about those phony poets with cheek and grace ("what can we do
with these people?") He also defies ordinary poetry (hurrah!) by
stating that his own personal life doesn't interest him, [yours] does,
and writes with pretty aching compassion about the myriad of "places
to put your tenderness" (e.g.Tn a tall blonde woman who wears
sadness like a per fume"). Gratifying poetry. (D-18 t/CG)
IT'S THE THIRD WORLD AFTER ALL #1 ($1.75 from Dale
Karvonen, PO Box 218, Painesdale, MI 49955): Well, this one is
actually from Dayl Fenderson, but he takes checks in the other
name. It's about the only Fenderson zine I've seen, mostly poetry
with some collage and other goodies. Bizarre and twisted are words
that spring to mind here. (D-32/MG)
IZBORNIK #2 (Contact Serg Homenko, str. Strjska 52-12, 290026
Lviv, Ukraina, USSR): I think this poetry is on the experimental
side, since they mention "retrofuturism" in their cover letter. But I
sure can't tell for sure, because it is entirely in Russian. A classy
obscurity, or more for those of you who actually read the stuff.
(D-12/MG) __
Lisa Janssen, BLONDES HAVE MORE FUN ($3 (?) from Poets
With Jobs, 1821 17th, Boulder, CO 80302): These short blurts seem
to be some sort of automatic writing, passing with dreamy ease
from one subject or image to another, sometimes switching in the
middle of a sentence. "Sounds like it's coming from inside a goddamn
tin can, not Mahler's last complete dance suite in tandem with ivory
tower Rapunzels. What was the stuff she ate anyway." (D-60t/MG)
Vampyre Mike Kassel, I WANT TO KILL EVERYTHING ($4
from Zeitgeist Press, 4368 Oiedmont Ave., Oakland, CA 94611):
Kassel writes tough poems about tough times—and tough critics, a
few of which he responds to here (hint: he's defiantly politically
incorrect). The streets are here, and the winos, the lowest bars and
the people in them—as well a serious issues about freedom, liberty
and dignity. (D-20t/MG)
Kermit, A TRAILER PARK OF THE MIND ($2.50 CASH from
Splotch! Publications, 805 Poleline #4, Davis, CA 95616): A collection
of freeform poems and short prose pieces. Kermit writes about
confused young love, the boring lives of most Americans, and
sad/funny occurences. A good observer with things to say and an
honest way of say ing them. (D-20t/MG) _
LAB NOTES Apr. 1991 ($1 from What Hiss Music, PO Box
24155, Winston-Salem, NC 27114-4155): A journal of poetry, creative
writing, and drawings...still mostly poetic in nature. This issue's
centerfold of mad ness and peace is especially goo d. (HL-8/MG)
Pete Lee,WHAT THE MOON HEARS ($1.50 from K. Emil
Erickson, 2304 Pinebrook Lane, Des Moines, WA 98198-7553):
Conceptive, cerebral poetry that lets you into the poet's mind and
lets you roam around a bit. Much of it is self-referential and
introspective, one of note is not—a rather sad account of domestic
violence in a traile r park. (D-26/CG) _
David Lemer, THE AMERICAN BOOK OF THE DEAD ($$2 (?)
from Grace St. Press, PO Box 5481, San Francisco, CA 94101): A
look out at the American scene in the 1990s, which ends up as a
more or less apocalyptic vision for the turn of the century, "this is
an emergency/I am getting reports that/bets are being placed/on
which of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse/will come in first"
says the poet at one point, at another addressing "hey you, leaning
on that lamp post like^ames Dean with radiation poisoning". If we
can't have hope, a t least we can keep our style. (HL-36t/MG)
Dominique Lowell, PILE ($2 (?) from Grace St. Press, PO Box
5481, San Francisco, CA 94101): A chapbook of gritty inner-city
performance poetry, including one piece ("Bike Messenger Leading
the People") which is a splendid job of rabble-rousing, inspired by
Detroit's Devil's Night. Dominique is great at building up tension
and raging against the system, and should inspire anyone who is
fed up. (HS-18t/MG)_
MAINE STREET NEWS #4 ($1 (?) from Spindleworks, 76 Maine
St., Brunswick, ME 04011): "An artist journal from Spindleworks. I
don't know what Spindleworks is, but the group-written poems here
have some of the same charm one finds in THE DUPLEX PLANET.
The back cover poem about Saddam Hussein—suggesting he be put
in a Mexican prison—was oddly delightful in spite of the topic.
(D-16r/MG) _
Claire McMahon,FREE LEMON JOB ($3.00 from Publish Every¬
body! Press, 1821 17th St., Boulder, CO 80302): Poems of scenic
distinction describing memory, relationships, the state of poetics and
lots and lots of New York City scenes. Some poems lean towards
an overpowering attention to NYC, which may detract from their
original intent. The memory love poem to an older sister is best (I
think). (D-36t/CG) _
Joan McMenomey,MOOD SWINGS ($2.00 from Implosion Press,
4975 Comanche Trail, Stow, OH 44224): Real-life, gutsy verse about
a sad-like childhood, a perspective about the modem woman's life
and its insanities, falseness, and masked meaning. Love doesn't
always win out, but we're stuck with our version of ourselves and
the rest of th e world—which is what I retrieved from reading these
poems. Great line: "Never go to bed with a man/whose sheets look
like graph paper." Excellent. (D-24/CG) _
Philips Miller, GEORGE GRAND ($2 (?) from Samisdat, Merritt
Clifton, do The Animal's Agenda. 456 Monroe Tpke., Monroe, CT,
06468): A collection of alcoholic poems from an ex-alcoholic (at least
the narrator is—and, one presumes, the poet as well). Miller does
an excellent job of capturing the feelings, the pointless deterioration
of life, but most especially the omnipresent longing to go back to
drinking after one has stopped. I know. (D-24t/MG )
Frederick Moe, AWAKE PAST MIDNIGHT ($1 from Mulberry
Press, PO Box 782288, Wichita, KS 67278): There's definitely a good
deal of craft here, and a theme running throughout: amnesia and
memory is what seems to fascinate the poet. This ranges from
"Lindberg's Crate", a memory of an object, to "Hooks", quick flashes
back ten years to high school. (D-12/MG) _
Timothy Monaghan, DEPLETION ($1 for 3 different chaps from
Pinched Nerves Press do S. Hartman, 1610 Ave. P #6-B, Brooklyn,
NY 11229): A single longish poem, from the poet to a somewhat
dissipated friend
who is also a
poet. A snap¬
shot of a life
ground down by
being trapped in
New York City.
(HS-8/MG)
M a t h e a u
David Moore,
SINCE NO¬
VEMBER ($1 (?)
from The Bubela
Press, 539 J At¬
lantic Ave.,
Williamstown,
NJ 08094): A col¬
lection of poetry
and photos,
both by
Matheau. The
works tend to¬
wards observa¬
tion of nature
and people,
often ending on
a questioning
note—the poet
not professing to
any more perfect
knowledge than
the listeners have. (D-28/MG) _ —- _
Sheila C. Murphy.A RICH TIMETABLE AND APPENDICES
(Contact Luna Bisonte Productions, 137 Leland Ave., Columbus, OH
43214): Unusual and experimental poetry with almost hallucenogenic
images and deep inner thoughts and emotions. Very cerebral.
Double-issue shari ng space with poet Stacey Sollfr ey. (D-20/CG)
Mychele, SURVIVING ($1 from PO Box 82344, Phoenix, AZ
85071-2344): This is Mychele's second booklet of poems, sharp
screams at the world. The attitude is one of defiance, standing strong
despite a life that just isn't fair. Very heady, emotional stuff.
(D-12t/MG) _
Richard Neubauer,THE COLORS I CHOOSE ($2.00 from Richard
Neubauer, 3963 North Creek Road, Palmyra, NY 14522): I always
tend to think of Richard's poetry as being very atmospheric. These
include some prose poems that stand out in that they feel like
someone is telling us about the guys sitting at the bar watching
basketball game, or the ostracized woman who was murdered, or
even how the poet himself feels about his own death with much
grace. (D-12/CG) _
NOTES FROM THE UNDERGROUND #5-6 ($3.50 from Mark
DuCharme, 2965 13th St., Boulder, CO 80304): "Alternative Writing"
featuring a mix of the usual suspects 0ohn Bennett leading off #6,
Sheila E. Murphy, Nico Vassilakis) and new voices from the fringe.
The editor is concerned to avoid the Bukowski imitations, and he
manages that, but at the cost of slipping further into the inscrutable
and runic end of new poetry. (S-30/MG)
□OPEN 24 HRS #7 ($3 from Buck Downs, 707 S. 20th St.,
Arlington, VA 22202): An eclectic literary zine of primarily poetry
with some unusual and intriguing short prose as well, in both a
traditional and experimental vein. The works of Pat McKinnon, John
McNally and Jeffrey Zable stand out, but not to the exclusion of
the rest. (S-16/CG)__
Jose Padua, STRANGE DREAMS ($4 from 44 Avenue B #4A,
New York, NY 10009): Nifty poetry from someone who looks at
the world and sees UFOs and strip joints and futility rather than
boring stuff like televisions and trees. There's a great poem in this
volume about rats and men, as well as the other inhabitants of the
underbelly of the world. (D-20t/MG)
PEARL Spring/Summer 1991 ($5 from 3030 E. Second St., Long
Beach, CA 90803): A few short stories and some artwork here, but
mainly it is poetry, lots of it, with an ear for the sensitive. Catherine
Lynn catches the spirit of modern teen rebellion perfectly in "You
do the Best You Can", while Lizbethh Parker's "Like Crescent
Moons", a whole section of breast cancer poems, are awesomely
touching. (D-70t/MG)_
□POETRY BREAK March/April 1991($2.00 from POBox 417,
Oceanside, CA 92049-0417): Conventional and traditional poems from
around the country. Most speak of love and relationships—either
family or religious. Mostly gentle, unthreatening verses. Also a
feature on "The Once a Week Oasis," a writer's support group—with
featured poems from within the collective. The print gets muddy
and hard to read in places. (HL-32r/CG) _
POETRY OF THE PEOPLE Feb.-Mar. 1991 ($1 from Paul Yerima,
PO Box 13077, Gainesville, FL 32604): A mini of poetry, most from
new voices, and longish. I liked the March issue, a single poem by
Paul himself, "Rev. Angel Dust Speaks", a wild street preacher social
justice rant. (M-8t/ MG) _
THE POETRY PROJECT #141 ($20/yr from The Poetry Project,
St. Mark's Church in-the-Bowery, 131 E. 10th St., New York, NY
10003): This one is more meta-poetry than poetry—that is, critical
essays and reviews—although they do publish some poems, and
they are apparently carefully chosen. This issue focuses on
improvisation, with transcripts of some improv work and several
essays on the the ory behind it. (S-28t/MG) _
POLITE CHAOS ($3 from Smiling Dog Press, Dean Creighton,
9875 Fritz, Maple City, MI 49664): A very classy letterpress edition
of some of our modem marginal poets, hand-printed and featuring
linoleum blockprint illustrations. Kurt Nimmo wanders into an odd
relationship, Robert A. Nagler explores the desert, Ron Androla
reduces the modem situation to its stark pointlessness. Very fine
work. (M-22t/MG)_
PORTRAIT OF KALI (60* & SASE from Liz Camps, Freelance
Press, PO Box 8551 Dept. 55, FDR Sta., New York, NY 10022): A
single story told in short poetic outbursts. It starts out as middle
of the road sex, but then grows progressively weirder, until at last
the male is completely devoured. A threat to male domination.
(M-24/MG) _
Roderick Potter, GARSH (We Press, PO Box 1503, Santa Cruz,
CA 95061): Potter writes love poems, more or less, but he is pretty
unclear about them. One might be a series of vignettes of everyday
actions; the next an image of cutting whispers in the dark. Flowing
rhythms, more fee ling than thought. (HL-12r/MG)
Etienne Brook Preston, BIRTHDAY BOOK OF PQEMS ($2 from
1736B Mason St., San Francisco, CA 94133): Small poems which
seem to have a lot of meaning packed into them that doesn't want
to pry free. Preston combines words in ways that are just short of
random, enough tie-ins to convey the feeling of sense without the
complete experienc e. (D-lOt/MG) _
Michael Randall,PORK AND OTHER POEMS ($4.00 from Jose
Padua, 44 Avenue B #4A, New York, NY 10009): Poems that combine
a gritty sexual atmosphere and the realism of living in a city. The
unfortunate woman who mistakes sexual arrogance for love, the
woman who cries out "Dick" on the subway, or the woman who
asks if she can "borrow the [pool] stick." "Pork" stands out from
the others—it's scary and gross and riveting and probably all too
real (though not many would probably admit it). (D-20/CG)
RAW SACKS ($4.00 ppd. from Terry A. Garey, 3149 Park Ave.S.,
Minneapolis, MN55407): A most unusual idea for packaging poetry:
printed on small paper bags and packaged in a larger paper bag.
Very environmentally aware. The poetry itself is laden with fantasy
images, mythical beings, dreams, and the more traditional reflections.
(Bag-15/CG) _
A. Razor, WAR IN THE 13TH HOUR ($1 CASH from DBPL,
3410 First St., Riverside, CA 92501): A poetic reaction to the war
in the Gulf, focused on the actual dead people and on the forces
(in Hollywood, the media, and elsewhere) that glorified it. Stark,
honest, emotional. (D-16/MG)
Kevin Redlake, UNDERTAKERS SLAIN IN THE HELLESPONT
($7 from Nagrom Publishing Company, PO Box 8093, Montgomery,
AL 36110): A book of eerie poetry, much of it concerned with death
and the social conventions surrounding it. Kevin puts together jarring
images that strike strong emotional chords even when they appear
to make no sense. "Windmills on Havoc's Ground Part 2", with its
array of monks, is one gripping poem. (D-36/MG)
Trent Reinsmith, LOVE & HOPE & SEX & DREAMS ($1 from
BNB Publishing, 1337 Chew St., 1st FL, Allentown, PA 18102): A
hand-scrawled chapbook of somewhat anguished poetry. The author
is apparently working out the pain of an aborted relationship,
waffling between anger and sorrow. (D-12/MG)
Elliot Richman, THE WHITE LIGHT SHATTERS (40* & a stamp
from Geof Huth, 317 Princetown Rd., Schenectady, NY 12306): The
title is about half the poem all by itself; the rest is about dragonflies,
and there are dragonfly wings stamped on this mini underneath the
transparent plastic coating. A brief moment of vision. (M-6/MG)
Steve Roth, MOTIONS AND GOOFS ($2 (?) from Poets Without
Jobs, 1705 14th St. #272, Boulder, CO 80302-6365): Steve writes
extremely lyrical stuff, songs of the open spaces of America; I thought
of Carl Sandburg at one point. Quite enjoyed the "Street Bop" and
the crazy surreal disintegration in "i'm fallin apart". (HL-32/MG)
J. Ryan, MOON (75* & a stamp from dbqp, 317 Princetown Rd.,
Schenectady, NY 12306): This is "a drawn photopoem" issued in
the form of a glossy postcard with a rubber-stamped back. Ryan
has pointed a camera at the moon, held the shutter open, and
moved it so the resulting trace spells out "MOON". A curious
multi-level portray al. (M-2/MG) _
Kevin Patrick Sampsell, BEAUTIFUL TEENAGERS UNITE! ($2
from 324 W. 5th #5, Spokane, WA 99204): Poems full of
sexuality—implied or not—the images are pretty strong of sex, smells,
sights and the impressions these things make on the poet's mind.
Can you imagine the impressions that make a grown man sleep in
the park to avoid having cheap sex with a woma n? (D-19r/CG)
Sappho, LESBIAN FRAGMENTS (Thormynd Press, PO Box 700,
Shrewsbury, Shropshire, ENGLAND): A new translation by D.W.
Myatt, which aims to capture both the poetry and the lesbian
impulses in what remains of Sappho's work. 15 selected fragments
are here, from one line to more or less complete poems, in a
translation which seems at the very least flowing and serviceable.
(A4-9/MG) __
Adam H. Schewel, BOURBON MOON CANTOS (AND OTH¬
ERS) ($3 from 2945 De la Vina St. #8, Santa Barbara, CA 93105):
A collection of work from a consistent contributor to SHORT FUSE.
Schewel is a constant presence in his own poems, exploring place
and people, putting forward his distinctly different thoughts about
the world. Solid working-class poetry in tone, although not mired
in the bars and lu mberyards. (D-38r/MG) _
Glen Sheldon, REVOLUTION: THE SIGNIFICANCE OF "THE
FIFTH SEASON" IN THE POEMS OF THOMAS McGRATH ($10
perfectbound/$4 stapled from Glenn Sheldon, PO Box 7157, Pitts¬
burgh, PA 15213): This is not a chapbook but a serious study of
One particular American poet. I haven't read McGrath, so it's hard
for me to judge this work, but Sheldon writes well and his dissection
of the political dimension of one body of poems looks interesting.
(S-74/MG) _
THE SKROLL #4 (A couple loose stamps from Terri Havens,
301 Court St., Little Valley, NY 14755): Terri notes that you should
not use the zine name on the envelope if you want your mail to
get through. This is a broadside of Gothic poetry, something to
speak to the pale dark chronicly depressed person within all of us.
Ghosts, weeping flowers, demons, vampires. (L-2/MG)
Kevin Slick, REAPPEARING ($2 (?) from PO Box 11076 Calder
Sq., State College, PA 16805): A cycle of poetry, or a structured
longpoem, or something like that "on the idea of emerging human".
Sound and movement are the important concepts here, reappearing
and recombining throughout the pages in a journey of searching for
the inner self. (S-16t/MG)
Stacey Sollfrey, FEELING THE ROOF OF A MOUTH THAT
HANGS OPEN and Sheila E. Murphy, A RICH TIMETABLE AND
APPENDICES ($2 (?) from Luna Bisonte Productions, 137 Leland
Ave., Columbus, OH 43214): A split chapbook of strange poetry.
Stacey is almost oracular in her pronouncements, coming up with
short, jagged, memorable images. Sheila is much more loquacious,
stringing together long dreamy phrases in apparent cutups. They
meet in the center of the booklet for some jarring collaborations.
(D-24/MG) _
Stacey Sollfrey and Paul Weinman, APPLYING MASCARA TO
OUR UMBRELLA ($2 (?) from Implosion Press, 4975 Comanche Tr.,
Stow, OH 44224): There's no seams here, no separate poems, but
these sound more like Stacey than Paul to me—then again, Paul is
not all White Boy either. Anyhow, as one might expect from
Implosion Press, these are short bursts of erotica, snapshots of bodies
and situations, not hardcore sex but the presence of lust in
everything. (D-20/MG)
Tom Snyders, POETIC LICENSUOUS ($2.50 from 888 Dupont
St. #407, Toronto, ONT, M6G 1Z8, CANADA): Tom's work ranges
from relatively straightforward poems to more involved & interesting
(at least to me) wordplay. "Sum Times" for instance, takes a hard
look at meaning, while "penisword" unpacks that portmanteau in
several different w ays. Also includes a bit of visual p oetry. (D-20/MG)
Sparrow, DENVER and ANIMALS ($1 from 322 E. 11th St. #23,
New York, NY 10003): A pair of minichapbooks with an appealing
handmade look. "Denver" was written out in that direction, and is
devoted mainly to observing in the west, from rude college students
to dating partners. "Animals" is more citified, the strange incongru¬
ities found in and around New York. Open-ended provocative verses.
(M-20/MG) _
SQUIB Vol. 1 #2 ($16/4 issues from PO Box 60019, Edmonton,
AB T6G 2S4, CANADA): This one is mostly poetry, though they
work in a fair amount of art as well—starting with color and real
leaves on the cover. There's a bend towards experimentalism here,
but the poetry still remains firmly rooted in communication rather
than just grandtan ding. (S-66t/MG) _
STAR*LINE Vol. 14 #1 ($10/yr from Chuck and Susan Noe
Rothman, 2012 Pyle Rd., Schenectady, NY 12303): The zine of the
Science Fiction Poetry Association, a group concerned with pursuing
and promoting this unique genre. Storytelling plays a strong part
in these poems, along with strong imagery. This issue also has an
article from David R. Bunch on why he writes the stuff. (S-lOt/MG)
THIRTEEN Vol. IX #3 ($2.50 from PO Box 392, Portiandville,
NY 13834-0392): Lots of poems here, marching in formation across
pages—they pack more in than most journals, with less graphics
and whitespace. Each poet gets from a poem or two to a page or
two, and the emphasis is on more or less traditional works,
carefully-structured poems, not too much experiment. The drawback
of this is that not much seems to really stand out from the plethora
of offerings. (5-40/ MG) _
TIGHT #4 ($3.50 from Ann Erickson, PO Box 1591, Guemeville,
CA 95446): A selection of poems from traditional to modern,
presented in a no-frills format. In this issue A. Razor cuts to the
heart of writing from angst, Paul Weinman sketches the fall of
civilization, and B.Z. Niditch enumerates some of the questionable
charms of Los Angeles. Ann has a good ear for worthwhile works.
(D-72/MG) _
TOO MANY CLOSETS ($2 CASH from DBPL, 3410 First St.,
Riverside, CA 92501): "Various Fag Poets!" reads the cover, and the
guys and gals here make no bones about their sexual preference.
AIDS is a constant shadow hanging over this book, from an opening
poem about being rejected by society to the closing about rejecting
love. Drew Blood, John Pofahl, and Regi Mentel are among the
contributors. (D-32r/MG)
Cheryl A. Townsend, MOTHER TENDED BAR ($1 from Blue
Ryder Press, PO Box 587, Qlean, NY 14760): Strong poetry from
Cheryl focused on her own life, specifically the tough times growing
up. A lot of anger and hurt comes through in these pages, conveying
decades of resent ment in short vignettes. (D-12/MG )
UNION SHOP BLUFF #3 (A couple stamps from Coryza Press,
21A Quebec St., Guelph, ONT, N1H 2T1, CANADA): Weird
experimental poetry, with this issue subtitled "Fart For Peace". The
main course is from F.A. Nettelbeck, who takes a blast at
"Americanization" in obscure terms. Greg Evason and John M.
Bennett also pop i n. (S-2/MG) _
WALKING AND SINNING #2 ($1 from Accelerator Press,
1708 #4 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Berkeley, CA 94709): A selection
of mostly very complex poetry, most revolving around thoughts of
love in one context or another. Lisa Kucharski contributes some
interesting visual workwhile Paul Weinman packs an awful lot into
some tense lines. (D-20t/MG) _
Paul Weinman, Mary Panza, and Richard Darrigo, 3 POETS 1
BED ($1 CASH from Drew Blood Press Ltd., 3410 First St., Riverside,
CA 92501): A poetic menage a trois, with Richard going after both
of the other two poets. Plenty of erotica here, male/female, male/male,
three at once, comparative kissing, and more. A wild exploration.
(D-16/MG) _•
Paul Weinman, ALLY ALLY HOME FREE ($1.50 from Dumpster
Press, PO Box 80044, Akron, OH 44308): A collection of poems by
Paul with illustrations by Dumpster's Wendy S. Duke. They both
focus in on the gritty back alleys, a melange of sex and drugs and
homelessness and alcohol and more. Dirty city poetry, tackling some
of the same issues as White Boy poems but in a somewhat more
serious vein. (P-32 /MG) _
Kathleen Wood, TENDERLOIN ROSE ($4 from Zeitgeist Press,
4368 Piedmont Ave., Oakland, CA 94611): Poems and short prose,
all tales from the streets of San Francisco where punk collides with
drugs and selling one's body. Kathleen writes of the occasional
moments of tenderness amid much fear and sorrow and anger, and
she doesn't hide fr om the truth. Blunt and scary ma terial. (D-19t/MG)
WORDS #2 ($3 from Nicol A. Kostic, PO BoT”4673, Toledo, OH
43620): A zine of varied poetry, well-presented with complementary
graphics. There's a tale of the human condition as seen in cruelty
to animals, people picking on other people, the boringness of the
word "nice". Goo d stuff here. (D-20/MG) _
A WYMB'S BROADSIDE #3 (50* (?) from 1839 W. Touhy,
Chicago, IL 60626): A single poem by Michael Brownstein, printed
on cardstock with illustrations from Walt Phillips. A quick short
burst of winter th ought. (S-2/MG) _
XENOPHILIA #2 ($3 from Omega Cat Press, 904 Old Town
Ct., Cupertino, CA 95014): A poetry zine dedicated to exploring
other cultures, other lands, other ideas. This issue has work from
the traditional to the science fictional, including a special "vegetable
grace" section which seems to encourage the poets to surreal heights.
Work from Bruce Boston, Herb Kauderer, and David Minton stands
out. (D-48t/MG) _
Zamiat, LETTERS FROM THE WAREHOUSE ($1 from Mulberry
Press, PO Box 782288, Wichita, KS 67278)T"The Warehouse" is the
strongest poem in the whole group, exploring isolation on a physical
level with inner echoes. Many of the other poems here don't quite
make it for me; they seem to reflect private sensations, but not well
enough to discern what's going on for the poet. (D-12/MG)
POETRY NOTES
•Oyster Publications (1003 Ave. X Apt A, Lubbock, TX 79401)
is now reading for their first ever chapbook contest. SASE for details. -
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