(c) Lawrence Schwartzwald

The Chapbook Festival is entering day 2, with 50+ presses gearing up to show you their wares, and look what we’ve planned for you:

Lunch Poems readings continue from 12 noon to 3pm with Steven Karl, JD Scott, Angela Veronica Wong, Saeed Jones, Ana Božičević, Filip Marinovich, Andrew Levy, Christopher Schmidt, Jennifer Bartlett, Mina Pam Dick (aka Hildebrand Pam Dick), Suzanne Wise, Farrah Field, Niina Pollari and J. Hope Stein.

At 3pm, join the workshop with Jean Hartig, Cara Benson, Nathaniel Otting and Nate Pritts — and at 5pm, come hear Brian Teare speak about how chapbooks saved his life — and how they may yet save yours!

Finally, at 7pm listen in on the PSA Chapbook Fellowship reading with Sarah Arvio, Timothy Donnelly, EJ Garcia, Deborah Landau, David Lehman, Marni Ludwig, Alison Roh Park, Gerald Stern, and Angela Veronica Wong.

And check out friendly offisite readings featuring chapbook poets and publishers well into the weekend.

Be there or be rectangular, ami/es!

We are all set! Join us today for Lunch Poems readings at 12 noon with Brandon Downing, Guy Pettit, Montana Ray, Bryan Beck, Paige Taggart, Sasha Fletcher, Alina Gregorian, Cori Copp, Nat Otting, Elizabeth Clark Wessel, Nate Pritts, Krystal Languell and Adam Robinson!

Then at 3pm attend a workshop with Ryan Murphy and Iris Cushing and Elizabeth Clark Wessel — and at 5pm, stay for the one with Adam Robinson, Martin Rock and Lucy Ives.

And then, friends, remain for the panel discussion on translation & publishing at 7pm featuring Ammiel Alcalay, Esther Allen, Susan Bernofsky, Anna Moschovakis, Eliot Weinberger, the Croatian editors of Poezija magazine and moderator Ana Božičević.

Quel délire de lire! Come on over. Oh, and don’t forget to pick up an exclusive copy of Lorine Niedecker‘s “Homemade Poems” at the Lost & Found table — a preview of series III.

The Festival is free and open to the public, though some events require advance registration, as indicated below.

View and download the poster!

Wed, Mar 28
at the Center for Book Arts

28 West 27th Street, NYC

10am-1pm and 2-5pm
Hands-on Chapbook Workshops: Binding and Printing
With Barbara Henry and Karen Randall
Registration required: 212 481-0295

6:30pm
Panel Discussion: Community and Publishing
MC Hyland, Minnesota Center for Book Arts
Guy Pettit, Flying Object
Chuck Stebelton, Woodland Pattern

Thu, Mar 29
at The Graduate Center, CUNY

365 Fifth Avenue at 34th Street, NYC

Noon-7pm
Book Fair: Day 1
C Level
For a full list of participating presses, visit our Publishers page!

12–3pm
C Level
Lunch Poems–marathon poetry reading

12pm-1pm – PeopleHerd’s Readings at Milk&Roses:
Brandon Downing
Guy Pettit
Montana Ray
Bryan Beck

1pm-2pm – Stain of Poetry:
Paige Taggart
Sasha Fletcher
Alina Gregorian
Cori Copp

2pm-3pm – Triptych:
Nat Otting
Elizabeth Clark Wessel
Nate Pritts
Krystal Languell
Adam Robinson

3pm
C Level
Workshop: Nuts and Bolts for Publishers
Ryan Murphy, Reservoir Editions
Iris Cushing and Elizabeth Clark Wessel, Argos Books
Organized by Poetry Society of America

Free registration required for all workshops.
To register, e-mail ksullivan@gc.cuny.edu.

5pm
C Level
Workshop: Digital Chapbooks
Adam Robinson, Publishing Genius
Martin Rock, Epiphany
Lucy Ives, Triple Canopy
Organized by the CUNY MFA Affiliation Group

Free registration required for all workshops.
To register, e-mail ksullivan@gc.cuny.edu.

7pm
Martin E. Segal Theatre
Panel Discussion: State of Translation: Trends in Innovative Publishing
Ammiel Alcalay, The Graduate Center, CUNY
Esther Allen, Baruch College
Susan Bernofsky, PEN Translation Committee
Ivan Herceg and Damir Šodan, POEZIJA Magazine, Croatia
Anna Moschovakis, Ugly Duckling Presse
Eliot Weinberger, translator
Moderated by Ana Božičević, The Graduate Center, CUNY
Organized by The Center for the Humanities

Fri, Mar 30
at The Graduate Center, CUNY

365 Fifth Avenue at 34th Street, NYC

Noon-7pm
Book Fair: Day 2
C Level
For a full list of participating presses, visit our Publishers page!

12–3pm
C Level
Lunch Poems–marathon poetry reading

12pm-1pm – Popsickle:
Steven Karl
JD Scott
Angela Veronica Wong
Saeed Jones

1pm-2pm – EOAGH:
Ana Bozicevic
Filip Marinovich
Andrew Levy
Christopher Schmidt
Jennifer Bartlett
Mina Pam Dick (aka Hildebrand Pam Dick)
Suzanne Wise

2pm-3pm – Earshot:
Farrah Field
Niina Pollari
J. Hope Stein

3pm
C Level
Workshop: Nuts and Bolts for Writers
Jean Hartig, Poets & Writers Magazine
Cara Benson, Dusie Kollektiv and Belladonna*
Nathaniel Otting, minutes BOOKS and Agnes Fox
Nate Pritts, H_NGM_N BKS
Organized by Poets & Writers

Free registration required for all workshops.
To register, e-mail ksullivan@gc.cuny.edu.

5pm
C Level
Workshop: Chapbooks Saved My Life
Brian Teare, Albion Books
Organized by Poets House

Free registration required for all workshops.
To register, e-mail ksullivan@gc.cuny.edu.

7pm
Proshansky Auditorium and Lobby
Reading: PSA Chapbook Fellowship
Sarah Arvio, Timothy Donnelly, EJ Garcia, Deborah Landau, David Lehman, Marni Ludwig, Alison Roh Park, Gerald Stern, and Angela Veronica Wong
Introduced by Alice Quinn

Reception to follow

An exhaustive report on the Chapbook Festival on Bookslut with many lovely interviews with and photos of publishers & roving poets!

Suddenly I see Christian Hawkey, author of Ventrakl (Ugly Duckling Presse, 2010). I ask if he’ll comment on the chapbook’s place in our contemporary world. “Chapbooks,” Christian muses. “They’re small, they’re portable. You can read them anywhere. And you should store them in the freezer along with your passport, cash, and family photos.”

Talk of the chapbook brings to mind the arch flattery by which the ancient poets defend what they like.  Suppose they choose to write in shorter forms.  They might try the eclogue, or some other suitable form.  Whatever their liking, to take to these hills they will accept attention given, but they must duck onerous demands on their resources:  “Though you are so wonderful, my patron, please do not ask me to write an epic poem.  My wings, poor things, cannot encompass the weight, and besides, smaller poems can be good, too, good to please and good for the soul.”

The Interstitial Arts Foundation reports from the Chapbook Festival:

What does the future hold for this refreshingly cooperative human form? The unique nature and inherent limits of fine-press, handmade production makes it an unlikely market conglomerate, but in an increasingly wired, mass produced society, poet and CUNY professor Kimiko Hahn suggests the chapbook will provide “a place where established writers can experiment.”

A very long and wonderful report from the Festival by Lily Ladewing in Faster Times includes interviews with publishers!

The design of the book always comes from the poems. When we read a manuscript we try to enter the imagined space in which they were created. Then it’s up to us to create a physical world for the poems to live in.

-Betsy Wheeler (Pilot Books)

Coldfront Magazine reports from the Chapbook Festival!

It’s important to note:

“In addition to selling chapbooks, representatives from Belladonna Books accepted donations that will be used to reprint Akilah Oliver’s chapbook The Putterer’s Notebook. Anyone interested in donating can contact Belladonna Books here.”

And keep in mind:

Zachary Schomburg of Octopus Books said it was sort of like an AWP “aftershock.” “In poetry, geography doesn’t matter,” said Schomburg.