Uncaged Low Kay Shun: Burroughs Live at the 2017 Underground Lit Fest

Many thanks to Bill Yarrow for recording me reciting two poems during the Underground Lit Fest hosted by the Literary Underground at the Uptown Arts Lofts in Michigan City, Indiana. The poems are "John Cage Engaged and Uncaged" and "Low Kay Shun." Please forgive my flubbing the line about Dick Van Dyke and my assaulting our host's innocent cup of coffee.

My "Abbreviate" featured 7/7 in Winedrunk Sidewalk

I am honored to report that my short poem "Abbreviate" was recently featured (day 169 - July 7th) in Winedrunk Sidewalk. Many thanks to editor John Grochalski!

Because the day it was published was the day I departed for my cross-country trip I'm just now blogging about it.

For daily resistance poems, follow winedrunksidewalk.blogspot.com.

Permalink to just my poem: here.

And they're still accepting submissions of poems and art as we speak.
SUBMIT2RESIST: winedrunksidewalk@gmail.com.

Underground Lit Fest this weekend in Michigan City, Indiana!

Crisis Chronicles Press and I are thrilled to be part of this year's Underground Lit Fest, August 4th through 6th, at the Uptown Artist Lofts, 717 Franklin Street in Michigan City, Indiana.

Among other grooviness....
*Friday 11am-5pm: Crisis Chronicles Press will be part of the Small Press Book and Zine Fair.
*Friday 7-10pm: Crisis Chronicles Press authors Dianne Borsenik, Juliet Cook and John Burroughs will be among the featured poets during the evening Speakeasy.

Full details of the weekend festivities can be found at http://theliteraryunderground.org/litfest/.

Crisis Chronicles Press publishes Diary of a Feminist Thug by Lyz Bly

Crisis Chronicles Press is ecstatic to team up with Guide to Kulchur Books to present a new Lyz Bly masterwork, Diary of a Feminist Thug, Volume I: His[tories] of Her Land.

Diary of a Feminist Thug is a poetically written narrative that is replete with stream-of-consciousness thoughts and original journal images of a white GenX grrrl-woman, growing up in rust belt America in the late 20th century. Bly’s text is memoir meets deposition, revealing the subtle and explicit ways in which patriarchy, misogyny, and toxic masculinity crush the psyches and abuse the bodies of women, even white, heterosexual, cisgender middle-class women of Generations X and Y, who grew up amid the promises of the 1960s and 70s social “revolutions” for gender and racial rights and equality. 

The 2016 election of trump reminded women how much they are despised, yet tolerated for their role as progenitors of racial identity and paternal “family” names. Bly’s Diary of a Feminist Thug reveals the insidious psychosis at the heart of heterosexual relationships and white middle-class families and the emotional and physical toll those they take on women who appear to be “just fine.” While there are obvious privileges connected to whiteness and heterosexuality, these privileges still come with a cost; Valerie Solanas once said, “He who won’t slit your throat will torture you to death slowly, often with diamonds.” 

Bly’s generational cohorts will relish her writing style, which varies from erratic to bitingly ironic, as well as her cultural references to GenX icons and defining historical moments. Millennials will get a glimpse into what may lie ahead for even the most privileged among them in these trump-era apocalyptic times.

Where Do You Want It?

United States $10.00 USD Elsewhere $13.00 USD

Diary of a Feminist Thug by Lyz Bly is 70 pp, perfect bound. Design by Maggie Halm. Printing by Guide to Kulchur. Dimensions: approximately 5.5" x 10". ISBN: 978-0-998-1104-9-3. Available in July 2017 for $10 at the Guide to Kulchur Grand Re-Opening (July 8th in Cleveland) or from Crisis Chronicles Press, 3431 George Avenue, Parma, Ohio 44134.  Please add $2 for shipping in the US (plus $3 more for overseas orders).

My July and August Poetry Tour Schedule

In my first 49 years of life I had never been west of Auburn, Indiana. That changed in April 2016 when I finally crossed the Mississippi River to participate in a poetry festival in Kansas City. Fast forward to July 2017 and I'm about to embark on my first ever trek to the west coast of the United States. Many thanks to all the friends and strangers who've offered me a place to read or sleep on my way or are otherwise supporting the effort. I don't expect I'll have much time to blog until I get home. But I plan to post periodic updates on my Facebook page.

7 July at 8 pm in Madison, Wisconsin 

Madtown Poetry Open Mic featuring John Burroughs at Mother Fool's Coffeehouse, 1101 Williamson Street in Madison.

14/15/16 July in Portland, Oregon  

Kleft Jaw & TRUST Art Collective present: Contronym (A Fugue in E Minor) featuring poets from across the country. 

*Friday: at the TRUST Art Collective.  

*Saturday: at Backyard Social (John Burroughs will be one of the features). 

*Sunday: at the Water Trough Saloon (Crisis Chronicles Press author Leah Mueller will be one of the features).

18 July at 7 pm in Oakland, California 

Get Lit #26 at Ale Industries featuring John Burroughs and others.

19 July in Oakland, California  

The Octopus Literary Salon featuring D.R. Wagner, M.J. Arcangelini, John Burroughs and Matt Cook.

25 July in Denver, Colorado  

Frankie Metro and John Burroughs attack. More details forthcoming.

26 July at 9 pm in Kansas City, Missouri 

Poetic Underground presents Bill Moran with guest appearance by John Burroughs at the Uptown Arts Bar, 3611 Broadway, Kansas City 64111.

28 July at 6 pm in Eureka Springs, Arkansas 

Thirst-quenching poetry featuring John Burroughs and friends at Brews, 2 Pine, Eureka Springs 72632.

4/5/6 August in Michigan City, Indiana 

Underground Lit Fest at the Uptown Artist Lofts, 717 Franklin Street, Michigan City 46360. 

*Friday 11am-5pm: Crisis Chronicles Press will be part of the Small Press Book and Zine Fair.
*Friday 7-10pm: Crisis Chronicles Press authors Dianne Borsenik, Juliet Cook and John Burroughs will be among the featured poets during the evening Speakeasy.

11 August at 7 pm in Canton, Ohio 

Take the Knight Off - Inspiration Showcase featuring John Burroughs, Alicia Young, The Derrick Terrill Project and more at The Local, 135 N. 6th Street in Canton.

13 August at 6 pm in Toledo, Ohio
Punch Through the Envelope: How to Make Editors Notice Your Work, a workshop with editors Dianne Borsenik (NightBallet Press) and John Burroughs (Crisis Chronicles Press) at the Art and Performance Center of West Toledo, 2702 W. Sylvania Avenue.

13 August in Toledo, Ohio 

Poetry Uncloistered featuring John Burroughs, Dianne Borsenik and Andy Roberts at Calvino's Restaurant and Wine Bar. More details forthcoming.

26 August at 7 pm in Cleveland, Ohio 

Poetry for the People 3 hosted by Twelve featuring Christine Howey, John Burroughs, Akeem Jamal Rollins, Eva Barrett, Ephraim Nehemiah and Dominicque Smith in Public Square downtown.

Click here to see my full 2017 poetry tour schedule.

My "An Augur Ration" featured 6/23 in Winedrunk Sidewalk

I am honored to report that my poem "An Augur Ration," written the day after Ill Presidente's inauguration in January, was recently featured (day 155 - June 23rd) in Winedrunk Sidewalk. Many thanks to editor John Grochalski!

For daily resistance poems, follow winedrunksidewalk.blogspot.com.

Permalink to just my poem: here.

And they're still accepting submissions of poems and art as we speak.
SUBMIT2RESIST: winedrunksidewalk@gmail.com.

New Reviews of Recent Crisis Chronicles Press Publications

CC#91 - Turnstile Burlesque by John Greiner
Review by Kevin Hinman at Goodreads

CC#89 - The Black Between Stars by Elliot Nicely
Editorial review in the inaugural issue of Scryptic

CC#87 - 13 Poems from the Edge of Extinction by Adrian Manning
Review by Matthew Hall in Screaming with Brevity

CC#84 - God Save Your Mad Parade by Austen Roye
Review by Emily Cornell at Goodreads

New Reviews of my Water Works and Chance

Jennifer Polhemus reviews my Water Works (The Poet's Haven, 2017): "My first read in celebration of National Poetry Month 2017...The sensual physicality of John's poetry leaves me feeling like I've taken one too many Vicodin; pleasantly spinning with just a slight annoyance of itchiness. Only some sort of orgasm will distract from the need to scratch. Delightful read!"

Jennifer Polhemus reviews my It Takes More Than Chance to Make Change (The Poet's Haven, 2013): "My second read in celebration of National Poetry Month 2017...What a frolicking good time! In respsonse to 'Tooth Telling', pg. 16, I write: 'So leave your tooth then, / beneath one of my pillows. / I promise you a quarter / moon at dawn. / Give the silver disc / to a Hobbit / hiding in the roots / of my mountain. / He knows what is precious... / the same as you.'"

With Rucci in Buffalo, InTENse in Cleveland Heights - 14/15 June 2017

Thanks to everyone who made Saturday's reading in Sandusky so special, especially (in alphabetical order) Bottom Dog Press/ Bird Dog Publishing, Christina, Dan, Dianne, Firelands Writing Center, Jameson, John, Larry, Lorraine, Mr. Smith's Coffee House, Ruth Ann, Steve, Susanna, Theresa, and Wesley. Among my favorite happenings in quite some time!

This week, my poetry tour continues with Words on the Rocks V : Damian Rucci & John Burroughs at the Alley Cat in Buffalo and CWP Presents InTENse Poetry! (featuring 11 poets from 4 states) at Mac's Backs Books on Coventry in Cleveland Heights.

 And to see my full 2017 tour schedule click here. 

My "Le Ruse et le Waaa" featured 6/9 in Winedrunk Sidewalk

I am very pleased to report that my poem "Le Ruse et le Waaa" is featured today (day 141) in Winedrunk Sidewalk. Many thanks to editor John Grochalski!

For daily resistance poems, follow winedrunksidewalk.blogspot.com.

Permalink to just my poem: click here.