Two poems in Country Music

I'm grateful to editor Scott Abels for including two poems from my Discountry series--"Unfinished Geometry" and "To the Accompaniment of a Fiddle"--in Issue 7 of Country Music. 

New Poem in TYPO

I am utterly excited to have my first poem published in TYPO. My poem, a section from a long piece titled Thread-Cloud Atlas, is in the 21st issue. My thanks to Adam Clay and Matt Henriksen. You can read the poem here, from which you can also link to the main issue.

"Elegy for Matt" at Spork

A poem I wrote for Matt Miller,  a friend who died in a tragic road accident--he was killed on his bike--is now online at Spork. My appreciation to Jake Levine for his accepting the poem and kind comments. There is also a video at the end of me reading a poem by Jeffrey Allen. Many thanks to my friend Steve Galbraith, who printed this poem into a folio as a way to fundraise for Matt's son, Holden. There are a few left at www.greenfusepress.org. All money will be donated to a fund established for Holden.

New Poem in The Blueshift Journal

My poem appears, thanks to Tyler Tsay, in the first issue of The Blueshift Journal. The poem, "Buried Hillside," can be read here.

New Poem in The Equalizer

Thanks to Michael Schiavo for publishing my poem "Santa Fe," which I wrote for my friend Heather Kennedy, in section 2.4 of The Equalizer, which is available for viewing in Google Drive here.

Late Summer and Early Fall Work

I've gotten a bit behind in postings, but here are three recent publications of note.

First, my story on the photographer Shelby Lee adams appeared in the September edition of Kentucky Monthly. The print version contains many excellent photos by Adams himself, as well as a portrait of Adams and Frankie, one of his long-time subjects, by Deena Fitzpatrick, who accompanied me on the trip to Hazzard, Kentucky. the piece is also featured online.

Next, a section from my long poem, "Primal Gravity," appears in the newest edition of The Lumberyard, published by Typecast Publishing.

Finally, I did an interview with poet Leah Falk on her blog, MFA Day Job, titled "I Never Want to Go Back to Academia."  I appreciate her inviting me to talk about my own experience with the post-MFA world of work.

In other news, my manuscript Discountry was an "honorable mention" in Black Ocean's open reading period, and  I will have forthcoming publications in The Equalizer, Spork, Country Music, and Blueshift Journal. My collaborative piece with sculptor John McCarthy, part of Louisville's Pyro Gallery project, will be completed soon, and a new collaboration with composer Jacob Gotlib will begin. I will also be a featured reader at November's Writer's Block Festival in Louisville, hosted by InKY.

New Poem, A New Profile, and Two New Interviews

Time to catch up on news:

First, my poem "Discountry" appears in the new issue of Radar Poetry, and features accompanying artwork by Brooke Vertin and an MP3 of me reading the poem. Thanks to Dara-Lyn Shrager and Rachel Marie Patterson for publishing this poem.

Then, the LEO Weekly published a story on my Green Fuse Press, "Words that Light a Fuse."

The Adroit Journal, who recently published my poem "History of Snow," also published a two-part interview with me, thanks to Amanda Silberling at the Adroit blog. You can read Part I here and Part II here.

("Bird on Industrial" by Carol Shillibeer)

Finally, Ashlie Stevens at Louisville's WFPL interviewed me about my soon-to-be second edition of Hiking Kentucky's Red River Gorge.

"History of Snow" in the Adroit Journal

A huge thank you to Peter LaBerge for not only soliciting me but including my poem, "History of Snow," in Issue 9 of The Adroit Journal. The poem, part of my MFA thesis at Warren Wilson College, was written in December 2012 upon seeing photos of the Wounded Knee Massacre, which had by that point reached the 122nd anniversary. the page also includes an mp3 of my reading of the poem. I am honored to be able to have had this poem read, appreciated, and published. My gratitude to Makalani Bandele for his unwavering support of the poem.

The Mission of Green Fuse Press

For some time now, I’ve dreamed of publishing poets, and the idea of making broadsides—something that connotes the individualistic power of a unique poem, making the poem substantive as a piece of art as well as literature—seemed the natural choice.

Most people understand the challenges publishers, especially small publishers, face in America today. I knew such an enterprise would be risky at worst, but also fulfilling and challenging at best. I had, however, a few ideas I hoped would set my project apart.

The most important was simply to pay the poet for his or her contribution. As a poet myself, I am accustomed to not making any revenue from what is, essentially, my life’s work. Certainly I’ve been paid here and there for a publication or a reading, but it is rare for a writer in my station. It seemed fair and necessary to support a poet, whose work I am soliciting, not only artistically but monetarily. Thus, I have insisted on paying the writer a portion of the proceeds from the sale of their broadside, as well as provide them with copies of the broadside itself.

Secondly, I saw this as a way to support local business in Louisville, Kentucky, where I live. I had always envisioned using the local letterpress artists at Hound Dog Press. They are, of course, paid for their work. But it’s also a matter of collaboration; my role is simple in that I solicit a poet and choose a poem to publish. But I wanted Nick Baute, co-owner of Hound Dog, to work his magic on the broadsides—he designs them, conceives and executes the art, and prints them on his 19^th century press.

The mission of my Green Fuse Press is to therefore be supportive of the arts as a form of collaboration, as promoting great literature and unique local business, and of course as a way to be financially supportive of all involved. And whatever money is leftover goes, as planned, to investing in the next poet, the next broadside.

It is my hope that poets, writers, and readers everywhere—both in Louisville and across the country—share my vision and find Green Fuse Press worth supporting. No one wants to be the poet who drives hundreds of miles on his or her own gas to a reading where no one buys a single book. I don't fault the many small presses who print poems they love but can't afford to pay—I'd only like to make an attempt to publish diferently.

The first broadside, a poem by Graham Foust, one of my favorite poets, is a test run. This will help me determine if people are willing to support not just me, or Green Fuse Press, or even the poet and printer, but the idea that we can make of literature something that contributes to all involved.

And my time practicing meditation has taught me something about karma I think it wise to remind myself of: that the energy we give always returns to us, sometimes multiplied, expanded, and intensified. It all begins today with a choice to support the idea: buy a broadside, hang it on the wall, and consider it daily. I think you’ll be glad you did.

Visit us at www.greenfusepress.org.

New Poem in interrupture

My poem "Sky Lay White," the first of my Discountry series to be published, is online at interrupture.

"Gross Income" in the LEO Weekly

My cover story for this week's LEO Weekly is "Gross Income," a piece on my experience as an adjunct instructor of composition in Kentuckiana. Thanks to Sara Havens and Peter Berkowitz for the work they did in editing a large, sprawling piece.

The Blue Raven in Kentucky Monthly

A bit late posting this, but my piece on The Blue Raven restaurant and pub in Pikeville, Kentucky appears in the May issue of Kentucky Monthly. Thanks to Deena Fitzpatrick for the wonderful photos, especially the plethora in the print edition.

New poem in The Louisville Review

Alongside some good friends, including Makalani Bandele and Adam Day, and also alongside Kentucky poet laureate Frank X Walker, my poem "Machado in the Pyrenees" appears in the new Louisville Review. Only in print!

Pine Mountain in the Kentucky Monthly

"True Wilderness," my article on Eastern Kentucky's Pine Mountain, is now available to read in print--with stunning photos by Brett Bentley--and also in the online edition. Thanks to the Kentucky Monthly for providing a little extra for gas, and to Brett for the tour.

New Poem in Salt Hill

My poem "Wire," another piece from my Warren Wilson thesis, is in issue 32 of Salt Hill, a journal which looks amazing, as evidenced by the cover! You can find a preview on their website, but the issue is in print only.

Review of Denise Levertov

My review of Denise Levertov's Collected Poems is online at the LEO Weekly.

Assignment: Research Your Adjunct Instructors

I have my first article in The Chronicle of Higher Education, posted under their blogs; the responses have been swift. You can read the article online here.

New Poem in The Collagist

My poem "Dark Kentucky Holler" was recently published by The Collagist. My thanks to Matthew Olzmann for the publication and his kind words regarding this poem, written while in the Warren Wilson MFA program.

Reading at Impossible Language

I'll be reading in Memphis, Tennessee on Saturday, January 18 for the Impossible Language series. Held at Crosstown Arts, I'll be sharing the stage with Caki Wilkinson and Abraham Smith, with artworks by April Pierce, Amerlia Briggs, and Caitlin Hettich. Thanks to Ashley Roach for having me!

Brautigan recovered

My first appearance in Octopus is my "Recovery Project" essay--completely informal--reviewing Richard Brautigan's Rommel Drives Deep into Egypt, an exceptional book of poetry that, if you can find it, is a great read. The essay is here. For my part, I found the book in a rundown used bookstore in Louisville, Kentucky.