Big Hammer No. 5 | Iniquity Press

William Carlos Williams wrote of Alfred Kreymborg: “Crude symbolism is to associate emotions with natural phenomena such as anger with lightning, flowers with love it goes further and associates certain textures with. Such work is empty. It is typical of almost all that is done by the writers who fill the pages every month of such a paper as. Everything that I have done in the past – except those parts which may be called excellent – by chance, have that quality about them. It is typified by use of the word “like” or that “evocation” of the “image” which served us for a time. Its abuse is apparent. The insignificant “image” ma be “evoked” never so ably and still mean nothing. With all his faults Alfred Kreymborg never did this. That is why his work – escaping a common fault – still has value and will tomorrow have more (Spring and All).” Continue reading

Big Hammer No. 15 | Iniquity Press

REMEMBERANCES

I don’t remember the reason we sat in front of Rite Aid that night. Someone needed a prescription filled. I do remember my mom banging her paims on the steering wheel, Asking, “Why did you ever become a writer?” “I don’t know mom. it was you and dad that bought me a desk for Christmas.” “That’s because your 6th grade teacher told us you had potential to be a professional writer. Not poetry, music and that other stuff.” She was visibly angry at the situation which brought us together. We were picking up pills for her husband Bob I now remember. It was the eve of his disappearance. Entering one hospital after another. Finally – allowed to rest – we surrounded Bob with the Lord’s Prayer. Such remembrance strangely triggered by a Leonard Cohen self-portrait – A drawing of his face – left lobe opened – in which he scrawled:

I never found the girl
I never got rich
Follow me

John Lunar Richey Continue reading

Jen Dunford | Shadow Of Book | Iniquity Press

I came to know Jen Dunford in 1996 while she was a freshman in high shool. At the time I was acting as the poetry editor of the now defunct 24/7 Art Zine. Jen had submitted some poems for consideration. I had never received a submission from anyone that young, and was hesitant at first to include her in a publication not meant for the living room coffee table. I worried what her parents would think. I gave in after deciding that if someone that young took the time to pick up the zine (distributed for free around town), read it and submit work of their own, then that someone wasn’t going to leave it hanging around for their parents to read in the first place. Plus, she stated in her cover letter that she was a fan of William Burroughs. That alone provided me with the final stamp of approval. — Dave Church Continue reading