NightBallet Press is extremely pleased and honored to present the first publication of this New Year of 2013... Steven B. Smith's Hip Cat Femur Whack Give a Doc a Bone!
This 48-page, 40-poem chapbook contains some of Smith's finest work from recent years, including a poem from 1965, one from 2005, two from 2006, one from 2009, four from 2010, seventeen from 2011, and fourteen from 2012. [Thank you, SBS, for those statistics!] As he says himself in his blog, that's "47 years of poet Smith from age 19 through 66."
Hip Cat Femur Whack Give a Doc a Bone (the title is taken from one of his poems) is loosely themed on picking up the threads of the years after his memoir Stations of the Lost and Found ended, and covers tales of Cleveland, the pain and recovery surrounding his bum hip and resultant surgery, and the peace he's found in the zen of his poetry and his life with his Lady. Written with wry humor and penetrating pokes, this is a cannot-put-down-once-you-pick-it-up-must-read-it-straight-through-and-then-read-it-again book!
The cover cardstock is a textured pale blue, and the heavy cardstock insert is a deep forest green; the cover photo was taken by the editor last summer in Cleveland (on Carnegie, around E. 65th St.). The text of the poems are printed on a heavy soft white cotton paper.
Published today, January 13, 2013, this book is immediately available through PayPal on this website for only $5 plus $3 postage. It will also be available on Amazon. And Smith will certainly have copies for sale at upcoming Cleveland-local venues, and at the upcoming (Jan 25 and 26) Snoetry Three and a Half mega-event in Erie, Pennsylvania!
The cover title itself should give you some idea of the stunning punning and prime rhyme this poet employs throughout his work. You'll want to hear him read his poetry aloud- catch him at a reading or listen at Mutant Smith... and get your copy of Hip Cat Femur Whack Give a Doc a Bone today!