a poem…

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UNDER THIS PASSION

By Brian Morrisey

There are wicked ways
I want to forget
how the lonesome
cowboy wins his battles
even if it is a memory
stuck in the insanity
of a bullet about to backfire

calm winter nights
too chiseled to walk lightly
too desperately quiet
to roam when not
in the spirit

Under this passion
there are street lights
painted black
to find your way
down a lost road
to a beautiful mind
drunk in the corridors
of boredom
singing show tunes
reality scenic
previews into a hell burning
HDTV in surround sound

Under this passion
I sit behind a desk
look out a window of opportunity
sink my nails
into a deep scratch
against a wall
inside this box
of indiscretion
mocking a corporate America
spitting at the seams
spilling lies
and watered-down truth
the same consistency
of blood

Under this passion
I tell a joke to a silent audience
with voice so deep
it buries the sun
that shone down
all the little fears
dressed as daydream police
arresting images
of the Buddha
hand carried through the
trenches of lost time

Under this passion
I summon the poem
to a biased jury
discretely disguised
as the poet themselves
who might applaud
late one-night stands
with the word
seduced off one-way streets
expressway to madness
driving 100 miles an hour
and never looking back

Comments (1) Dec 08 2009

Issue #39 in the works…

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Yes, after a a summer of craziness in Santa Cruz, the head-hancho of POESY is able to focus again. Hopefully the forces of nature will play out in his favor. We have some ideas for #39 floating around. One is John Dorsey will have a profile in this issue. I still love the format, so I dont think we will be making any changes there.

Anyway nothing new really.

Send your work in before September 30th. It is extended from August 1st.

Comments (7) Sep 21 2009

POESY XXXVIII SUMMER 2009 READING

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We are currently seeking a venue in San Francisco for an Issue 38 reading. We will keep you posted as we make progress…

If anyone has any ideas, please comment on this blog.

thanks! - brian

Comments (1) Jul 08 2009

Acceptances - Sometimes Submissions Fall Through the Cracks

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POESY has been involved with the small press now for 18 years. We have seen magazines come and go so often that it just gives us more thirst to stay alive during these trying times. To stay alive, we have to stay funded, to stay funded (without selling out and maintaining completer control of the artistic content that goes into the magazine), I have to work at 40-60 hour a week job.

During the hours left, when I am not working, I admit there has been more occasion than once that poems have fallen through the cracks. One poet decided to recently go on a rampage insulting the magazine, the intern and myself because he just heard back from his submission after 18 months. Sorry. We screwed up. There are a lot of people like this individual who were originally accepted, but then were cut in the final editing stage. In this particular case, the submission was still in the POESY #36 folder and never got moved back into the rejection folder. Yes, we screwed up. It won’t be the first time. It won’t be the last. I accepted the fact that we screwed up.

I thought maybe the fact that his poetry was in the final edits and got cut last minute would give him some comfort or drive to submit again or least keep his cool. He just cannot let go.

I don’t know what else to do. I have apologized.

This statement is just to let you know, that sometimes your submission will fall through the cracks of our system and I am sorry if it took 18 months to respond (which is a lie, because in issue #36, I mentioned he was still being considered for the issue).

People wonder why editors stop putting their heart into publishing everyone else’s work. This is why. If you want to keep the small press alive, give your editor some slack and realize we are not perfect, nor of the “POETRY” or “Poets & Writers,” but rather indiduals doing this out of our own free will and putting hard earned cash and time out of a love for poetry—your poetry.

Thanks,
Brian

Comments (3) Mar 29 2009

Editorial Intern for POESY #38

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POESY #38 is in the works. Lots of new ideas, plans and action going on right now.

We have a dedicated warehouse space for POESY headquarters. I don’t have to sprawl poems all over my house on the kitchen table, in between the sheets, in the bathtub and under my bed. Yes people, that is what happens to your submissins when the arrive to P.O. Box 7823. Soon we will have a collaboration of art more powerful and inspirational than Andy Warhol’s Factory. It will also be considered as the next venue for the Wired Poets wekly open mic.

During y search for my intern, I have always had mixed feelings about mixing the poetry biz with my dear friends. I am so anal about POESY that it could end a relationship to have a friend as an intern, but the search is over. My friend Debbie Kirk is going to be the next intern at POESY. SHe knows how precious this baby is for me and also has followed the magazine for quite some time (Issue 13 - William Taylor, Jr. issue).

Debbie Kirk has been writing poetry, prose, and columns and being published in the small press for nearly ten years.  She also founded PinkAnarckittyPress in 2000, and has published 3 collections of poetry.  One was her first chapbook, the second was “Enemy” by John Sweet, and the third was “Dope” a small press anthology. DOPE got rave reviews and people continue to ask for a reprint!
As for her own work, she has had 5 chapbooks published. ‘Lost Words of Suicide Lovers’ (by PinkAnarckittyPress), ‘Valley of the Gallows’ (Black Hoody Nation press), ‘I hit like a girl’ (Mouseion UK Press), and ‘Bleeding from my Psalms’ (Feel Free Press UK), ‘Broken’ (Kendra Steiner Editions Press 2008)
Inclusion of Anthologies to date: ‘Stories From the Asylum’ (Underground Voices), ‘Chemical Lust, a Sex and Drugs Anthology’ (Monochrome Press), ‘Sirens 5 Femme Fatale Poets’ (Sisyphus Press)  You can read reviews of sirens at www.sirens5.com. ‘West Memphis Witch Hunt’ (lulu press,.all benefits go to the West Memphis Three legal defense fund), ‘Slipstream No.8, the year of poetry’ (Slipstream Press), ‘See Me, Hear Me’ ( The people’s poet UK…all proceeds of this book went to the Manic Depression Foundation), ‘The People’s poet 2′ (People’s Poet UK), ‘Love and Sadistic Dharma’ (Mystery Island Press, ‘Love Potion’ (Mystery Island Press) (Cherry Bleeds best of Anthology) Cherry Bleeds Press
E-books: ‘Ghosts in the Machine’ (Mystery Island Press), ‘Poetry ate my lunch money’ (Zygote in my coffee), Running Columns to date: ‘Stalking’ (The hold), ‘TNT’ (Babel Magazine, ‘The Ramblings of Ms. Randall’ (Zygote in my coffee magazine), ‘The Chronic Ill’s of a Common Dime store whore and addict’ (the hold magazine), ‘Chasing Whiskey with Shadows’ (Zygote in my Coffee magazine)
Reviews: Reviews of my work have appeared numerous places. Including ones by the following small press Legends: Justin Barrett, John Sweet, John Dorsey, John Bennett, David Barker, Paul Corman- Roberts, Dan Provost and A.D. Winans.
She is also a very prolific painter and has had two small gallery shows.  She was featured in an art documentary about Venice Beach called “The Shades of Venice” which is available to watch on you tube.  She currently paints more than she writes.
Debbie has also been published in over 100 online and print magazines such as Zen Baby, Rusty Truck, Remark, Sex and Guts Magazine, Underground Voices, and Lummox to name a few. She doesn’t like to associate herself with and particular school of poetry.  She doesn’t like the politics of the small press, and is happy just writing daily and publishing occasionally.  She is currently working on her first novel.  She’s been called a punk rock visionary with a straight razor tucked in her combat boot.  She refers to herself as “Debbie”. You can reach her here! Sinncity66613@yahoo.com .

Comments (1) Feb 12 2009

EDITORIAL INTERNSHIP IS NOW OPEN

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Editorial Internship

POESY is an American poetry journal dedicated to publishing cutting edge contemporary poetry. We publish twice a year in a perfect bound 40 page book format. We are also a press and working on 3 manuscripts right now written by very influential names in the small press.

Right now the staff consists of a Publisher/editor based in Santa Cruz, an east coast editor based in Boston, and a copywriter also in Santa Cruz.

During this unpaid internship, interns:
- Work with the publisher to read submissions from poets across the country and assess if they fit into our format
- Produce a monthly newsletter— from development through post-production work.
- marketing strategies to build and grow reader distribution 10 hours per week unsupervised with weekly progress and discussion meetings in Santa Cruz.

Previous writing experience preferred. Interest or experience in small press poetry Compensation: Interns receive $68 per month and personal use of a company laptop during the duration of the internship.

Please send a cover letter and a 2-3 poem writing sample. In your cover letter, indicate why you are interested in the internship, when you would be available to start, and how long you would like to intern.

POESY
P.O. Box 7823
Santa Cruz, CA 95061

Comments (0) Jan 06 2009

2008 DIY BOOK FESTIVAL NAMES WINNERS : POESY WINS FOR ZINES / POESY INTERN

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2008 DIY BOOK FESTIVAL NAMES WINNERS

LOS ANGELES (December 26, 2008) _ The 2008 DIY Book Festival has chosen photojournalist Susan Madden Lankford’s “Maggots in My Sweet Potatoes,” a stunning examination of jail life, as the winner of its annual competition honoring the best of independent publishing.

The book and its author will be honored along with other competition winners in February as part of the activities at the 2009 DIY Convention: Do It Yourself in Film, Music & Books.

COMICS/ZINES

WINNER: Poesy – Edited by Brian Morrisey

RUNNER-UP: Homecoming – Steven Gomez

POETRY:

WINNER: Pole Dancing To Gospel Hymns – Andrea Gibson

RUNNER-UP: Roses in the Snow – Diana Norma Szokolyai


In other news….
After a 3 month stint of submerging myself into the frustrations of corporate america, we are going to be back at working on issue #38.

An internship is available. If interested, please email brian@poesy.org for details

Also, a distribution manager is needed.

More soon….

Comments (1) Jan 06 2009

Back from China…

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I failed to let everyone know I was off to China for a good 2-3 weeks. I knew less than a week before I left, so it put a damper on getting the mags out to the full subscription list. There are still some orders off etsy I need to fullfill. Anyway I am back. It was an experience (as always) filled with culture building relationships in the optics industry. I still think about going over there to do a chinese contemporary poets issue. I am toying with it for next issue which means I will have to shut down submissions.

On another personal note, my writing has fallen to the wayside until I can comprehend the last few months experiences and have just been writing folkish songs for guitar, but at least the inspiration is flowing in one way or another.

The issue has gotten an interesting response. Good, but subtle. I hope to push it out there even harder these next two months. Thanks again to all of you for being such a major part of POESY!!!

Comments (2) Nov 21 2008

New Site - POESY XXXVII

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Issue XXXVII is packed and on the way back from the press right now!

INTERVIEWS with Len Fulton of Small Press Review by Brian Morrisey and Pushcart Prize Winner Afaa Michael Weaver with Doug Holder

POETRY: john dorsey, jane stuart, sam silva, normal, b.r. strahan, david c.
orsheski, william taylor, jr., ally malinenko, afaa michael weaver, guy r. beining, tim suermondt, eileen kennedy, coleen t. houlihan, brittony johnson

PHOTOGRAPHY: a.d. winans, alethia drehmer, michael berstein, eugenia hepworth petty,brian morrisey, john bower, randy thurman, christopher robin

REVIEWS: tam lin nelville reviews Louis McKee’s, “Still Life” and brian morrisey reviews the first issue of the magazine “poeisis”

If you would like to order a hardcopy of the issue, you can send us $3.00 or order online at http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=15937872

(I apologize for any rejection or acceptance letters not received yet. I am still catching up.)

Thank you all for your continued support!

Comments (1) Oct 12 2008

New Site and issue XXXVII

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You can get to my old blog at:http://poesymag.blogspot.org if you are interested in past nonsense that we have posted. Otherwise, this is it people…. thanks to master web designer Dave Hite, this site is finally looking good and up to speed with the print issue.

Issue XXXVII is packed and on the way back from the press right now!

INTERVIEWS with Len Fulton of Small Press Review by Brian Morrisey and Pushcart Prize Winner Afaa Michael Weaver with Doug Holder

POETRY: john dorsey, jane stuart, sam silva, normal, b.r. strahan, david c.
orsheski, william taylor, jr., ally malinenko, afaa michael weaver, guy r. beining, tim suermondt, eileen kennedy, coleen t. houlihan, brittony johnson

PHOTOGRAPHY: a.d. winans, alethia drehmer, michael berstein, eugenia hepworth petty,brian morrisey, john bower, randy thurman, christopher robin

REVIEWS: tam lin nelville reviews Louis McKee’s, “Still Life” and brian morrisey reviews the first issue of the magazine “poeisis”

If you would like to order a hardcopy of the issue, you can send us $3.00 or order online at http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=15937872

(I apologize for any rejection or acceptance letters not received yet. I am still catching up.)

Thank you all for your continued support!

Comments (7) Oct 12 2008