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Tuesday, April 30, 2013

This Just In! Video by Alex Gildzen!

Alex Gildzen, who turned 70 on his birthday April 25, made this wonderful film!  In it, we celebrate his birthday, his visit to Elyria, Ohio, and the release of his new book Blossoms-a collection of poems (1955 to 2013) in celebration of the poet's 70th birthday!  Thank you and congratulations, Alex! 



Join Alex in his ongoing celebration of life and growing- growing up, growing older, growing on, blossoming at 70!  You can purchase your very own copy of Blossoms right here on this website- see the sidebar to the right of this blog...or better yet, order directly from the poet at http://www.arroyochamisa.blogspot.com/!

Thursday, April 25, 2013

Alex Gildzen's 70th Birthday BLOSSOMS into Being TODAY!!!

NightBallet Press is enormously pleased to wish Santa Fe, New Mexico poet Alex Gildzen a very Happy Birthday today, and to celebrate his birthday with the publication of Blossoms—a collection of poems (1955 to 2013) in celebration of the poet's 70th birthday!


Blossoms—a collection of poems (1955 to 2013) in celebration of the poet's 70th birthday is exactly that- a marvelous book-length collection of poems ranging from Gildzen's earliest surviving poem, "Blossoms, Blossoms, Oh Lovely Blossoms" to one of his most recent ones, "Hawaiian Coffee and Bartok".  Blossoms is a bright, lush garden full of plant life and real life:  rosebuds, lilacs, poppies, mulberry, basil, aloe, hollyhock, orchids, and cereus snuggle and thrive next to celebration, contemplation, loss, remembrance, love, enlightenment, and joie de vivre. 

With 60 pages of 42 poems, 2 portraits of the poet, 3 breathtaking "Moonflower" images from photographer extraordinaire Chandra Alderman, and an introduction by poet Tom Kryss,  Blossoms is a tribute to and testimony of a life well-lived for 70 years.

Take time to stop and savor the sweet scents of the flowers, celebrate Alex Gildzen and celebrate lifeget your copy of Blossoms—a collection of poems (1955 to 2013) in celebration of the poet's 70th birthday today!  Available on this website for only $10 plus $3 shipping and handling!  And very soon, this title will also be available on Amazon!

Monday, April 22, 2013

Twice the punch! Twice the poetry! CHANSONETTE BUCK & WILLIAM MERRICLE!!!

Thaaaat's riiiiiight, NightBallet Press presents, for your reading bliss, to continue the grooviness throughout National Poetry Month, and to celebrate the poetry extravaganza of the Broken Pulpit weekend here in Cleveland, Ohio, not one but TWO über-fantastic chaps!

                                  

                                        

 


IT'S A MERRICLE!

NightBallet Press is tickled (hot) pink to publish Ohio poet William Merricle's brand new chap, Chaos Theory!  Merricle does for poetry what Dali did for painting; his writing is a surreal romp through landscapes of sight and sound, of sophistication and silliness, of chaos and construction, of  "The Y Chromosome Polka" and "Creation Porn". 

Here's a delicious sample poem from Chaos Theory to whet your appetite!

What Is the Distance Between
Rahway and South Plainfield?


Virtually all the evil in
this world is in the
form of information.
Morning is too late at night.
Every pixel tells a story.
Sexual fulfillment formats itself
as the frost on the pumpkin.
Every question contains an answer.
Better probes are required.
All my learning comes
face-to-face with
the prosecutorial moonlight.
High hopes are difficult to master.
One can’t make a circle with one.
Satire is the best credit card.
Your shadow delivered
an erudite lecture on
the frailty of your love.
Every answer births a question.
The golden age of wisdom
was the Middle Pleistocene.
I learned that online.

 William Merricle's previous publications include Heimlich the Donut (Pudding House Publications, 2010) and Grace, You Let the Screen Door Slam (Crisis Chronicles Press, 2011).  His poems have appeared in Pudding Magazine, Portland Review, Slipstream, and in the Crisis Chronicles Online Library.
 

Chaos Theory is 36 pages long and contains 28 poems.  The cover is a (very) pale green with a charcoal gray cardstock insert, and the text is printed on a creamy, soft-white paper.  You can obtain your very own copy for only $5 plus $3 shipping and handling! 







YOU CAN BUCK THE SYSTEM!

NightBallet Press is extremely honored and excited to announce the publication of Berkely, California poet Chansonette Buck's newest chap, talisman!  George Wallace says of talisman:

 "One cannot fail to be impressed with the courage of poets who lay bare their most troubling personal moments in their work.  But it requires a special level of courageand talent, as in adroitness of expression and dispassionate perspective—for such poets to stand out in the crowd.  That's Chansonette Buck's achievement in this fine little collection.  Yes, she has experienced pain, risen from it and found sustenance in the telling.  But more than that, she has approached the telling with an unflinching eye and a sure technical hand, and produced poem after memorable poem."

Chansonette Buck, who holds a PhD in English from the University of California, has been published in, among others, Why We Ride: Women Writers on the Horses in Their Lives (Seal Press, 2011) and Polarity eMagazine (Fall, 2010).  Previous chapbooks include blood oranges (NBP, 2011) and desire lines (Crisis Chronicles Press, 2012). 

Here's a teaser from talisman:

pain-body

she writes
i need him...then
rushes, retching
to the sink. later,
drained, she lies
on her bed, willing
hard winter rain's
change to rose
petals, watching
the sky clear
and pale to silver
under the full moon
so the pepper-tree's
leaves flicker
like tiny diamonds
in the wind,
she wonders
how such
a bright sky
could empty
so much loss
into her world.


                                                          

talisman is 32 pages long and contains 20 poems.  The cover is a pale ecru with a brilliant turquoise blue cardstock insert, and the text is printed on a creamy, soft-white paper.  The cover and inside pages feature photos taken from a beautiful mixed-media collage by book artist Bonné de Blas.  Get your copy today for only $5 plus $3 shipping/handling! 






Twice the punch!  Twice the power!  Twice the poetry!  Merricle and Buck!  Buck and Merricle!  Order your copies today!  Available through PayPal right here on this website, and through Amazon!

 

Sunday, April 14, 2013

Can We Be Frank(e) With You?

 
NightBallet Press is enormously pleased to announce the publication of Christopher Franke's new chap, As the Caffeine Kicks In!

                                           



Christopher Franke is something of a legend in the Cleveland area.  He has been an integral part of the Cleveland, Ohio poetry scene since the early 70s, and has been widely published.  His unique poetic voice shines through clearly in the poems collected in As the Caffeine Kicks In.  Utilizing agrammatical punctuation, neologistic spellings and puns, varying font sizes, and a stunning vocabulary, Franke expresses his views on religion, politics, the economy, society, ecology, the writing life, growing older, and love in a way only he can do.  This editor feels his poems are nothing short of genius.  Known for his unflagging support of poetry venues, and for passing out his and others' poems at readings, Christopher Franke continues to enrich the poetry community in Cleveland, and beyond.

As the Caffeine Kicks In is 56 pages long and contains 30 poems.  The cover is a pale ivory cardstock with a coffee-brown cardstock insert.  The text of the poems is printed using Goudy Old Style, the poet's preferred font, on soft, creamy ivory paper.  At only $5 plus $3 shipping/handling, this book is a must-have.  NBP promises you, you won't be able to put it down once you've begun exploring the World of Franke!

Friday, April 5, 2013

April is National Poetry Month and NBP Will Be Celebrating ALL MONTH LONG!

April is National Poetry Month, and here at NightBallet Press, we'll be celebrating all month long!

                                          (poster design by graphic artist Jessica Helfand)


This will be a very busy month, with poetry events and poetry books busting out like daffodils and crocuses everywhere you look! 

NightBallet has not one, not two, not three, but FOUR books of poetry by four different poets planned for publication in April.  These books will be announced and debuted at various poetry events throughout the month.  Stay tuned to this blog for details! 

Check out the following links for exciting and intense poetry events, most of which will find NightBallet Press in the audience or on stage:

Writing Knights Presents at the Literary Cafe, featuring John Burroughs -- Saturday April 6 at 7pm -- although NBP has to work and can't attend, this event promises to rock and roll -- kick off the month in fine style with NBP performing poet John Burroughs!

Artomatic 419 in Toledo, Ohio, featuring NightBallet Press -- Saturday April 13 -- featuring J. E. Stanley, Zach Fishel, and John Burroughs, with poetry by editor/publisher Dianne Borsenik (we'll be on the Third Stage between 5 and 6 pm)

Broken Pulpit Tremont Crawl in Cleveland, Ohio's Tremont neighborhood -- Saturday and Sunday April 20-21 -- During the NBP hour ( Sunday April 21 Visible Voice Books at 2:30pm) featuring NBP poets J. E. Stanley and William Merricle (whose brand new NBP chap Chaos Theory will be debuted!), along with poetry from dan smith and Eris Zion Venia, plus poetry by Dianne Borsenik.  During the Crisis Chronicles hour (Sunday April 21 Grumpy's Café at 4pm), NBP cross-over authors John Burroughs, Chansonette Buck (whose new NBP chap talisman will be presented for the first time!), and Heather Ann Schmidt will feature, along with CCP author Tracie Morell.  Buck is traveling from Berkeley, California, and Merricle is making the trek from Lima, Ohio, so you won't want to miss out on this singular opportunity to hear them!

2nd Annual Posies Open Slam Competition at Jitters Coffee House in Millersburg, Ohio -- Saturday April 27 -- featuring a performance by NBP poet John Burroughs, with NBP editor/publisher Dianne Borsenik competing in the Slam!

...and these are just a smattering of the awesome events happening in and around the Cleveland poetry scene during National Poetry Month!  Check out the N. Ohio Poetry Calendar at Crisis Chronicles for more dates and venues throughout April and beyond!

Stay tuned this weekend for a major publication announcement...here's a hint.  NightBallet Press is going to be completely frank(e) with you... wink, wink!