Affairs of Ink

Something new!

Posted: September 4, 2025 in Ink's Poetry

A while back I had an idea for a chapbook, and I’m happy to announce that, after many years of doubt and procrastination; concept production failures; poem tinkering, reworking, and reimagining; and many a tussle over themes, my newest chapbook is being shipped off to a few publishers in the hopes someone believes in it half as much as I do (which is, in all earnestness, a heck of a lot).

Since it is up for grabs, I don’t want to give too much away about it. But a few details I (think I) can safely divulge:
– Its title can be read two different ways.
– The book is meant to be read each side to the center. (Which side you start on does not matter.)
– Each side collects poems on a theme reflecting one way the title can be read.
– This is the only time the poem used to start both halves will appear dissected (trisected?) and is the centerpiece of the collection . . . despite it being an actual bookend.
– The cover art, inspired by one of my favorite Franz Kafka stories, In the Penal Colony (“In der Strafkolonie”), loosely applies to both themes and, though nearly identical, subtly (at least I’d like to think it’s subtle) clues the reader into which theme each half focuses on.
– It’ll be roughly thirty pages.
– I don’t know how much it’ll cost, but I promise it’ll be worth it.

Pining – A New Chapbook

Posted: October 28, 2023 in Ink's Poetry
Tags: Alien Buddha Press, ink, ink's poetry, Pining, poetry

Did I mention that 2023 has been going really well for me? In addition to a low-key creative boom, I also fell in love. Hard. And, luckily, so did she. But we, as most people (or at least introverts) tend to do, didn’t actually think it was happening.

It was during this enormously frustrating and euphoric period that I was reading a Takuboku collection, and my emotional overflow funneled itself into the writing of several short poems. …and then several more short poems. …and then even more short poems. I was helpless on two fronts and enjoying every minute of it. So after I confessed to her, I put together this time capsule of my yearnings.

The title popped into my head while listening to the Nick Cave song “More News from Nowhere”; the word, nested in lyrics of a totally opposite hue, rang in my ears as soon as it was sung. The art came to me in a flash soon thereafter and is, at least I’d like to think, a gentle nod in the direction, via the lines’ placement and strokes, to Japanese characters and points to the reasons behind not only the form of some of the poems but the differences in focus and tone between sections I and II.

And because I was (and remain) so enamored of this woman with whom I fell so madly in love and who found herself a similar victim, I made it my mission to get this small collection of poems published. It only took one submission before Pining found a home at Alien Buddha Press. So it is my pleasure to announce that Pining will be available for purchase (from me and Alien Buddha Press) on November 14!

Limited Edition Brochureside(tm)

Posted: October 28, 2023 in Ink's Poetry
Tags: broadside, brochureside, ink, ink's poetry, Mark Brunetti, poetry, The Museum of Broken Promises

Long a part of literary history, broadsides are single-sided pages that feature one poem and some visual elements. But a strong and unusually strange bit of enthusiasm hit me one morning while reading: I have a poem about a fictional museum; why don’t I print it as as museum brochure? And thus my brochureside(tm) for “The Museum of Broken Promises” was born!

Printed in a limited run of 25 copies, these hand-numbered copies will be for sale for $3.00 at both of my features in southern and central New Jersey (November 17 and 19, respectively). The brochureside features the poem itself on the internal three folds along with some images closely illustrative of the imaginary exhibits, while the other side offers up a few Easter eggs and visual puns as well as a heartfelt dedication and not so heartfelt About The Author blurb.

To hear what you’ll be reading, click below:

“The Museum of Broken Promises” is inspired by and follows the tradition of The Idiom and Piscataway House Publications Publisher Mark Brunetti, who wrote and performed a number of poems about imaginary museums.

Coffee House Readings Closer

Posted: October 28, 2023 in Events, Ink's Poetry
Tags: Alise Versella, Asbury park Roastery, BJ Ward, Coffee and Words, Evermore Coffee Roasters, ink, Jewlz Wit A Z, poetry, Poetry Tempest, Rebecca Weber

With everything going on, I almost hate to say it, but 2023’s been a really good year for me. And that’s continuing at least through mid-November with two features planned for the 17th in Burlington, NJ at Evermore Coffee Roasters and the 19th in Asbury Park at Asbury Park Roastery.

Evermore’s a great spot for Kendall A. Bell’s (Maverick Duck Press) “A Poetry Tempest” reading series. I’ve only been once (my first trip to Burlington!), and the talent was astounding. And now I’m floored and honored to not only be reading with the fabulous Alise Versella, who I know from several local open mic spots, but also none other than Geraldine R Dodge poet BJ Ward! (Apologies to Casey Britton, who I’ve not yet had the pleasure of hearing or reading.)

Coffee and Words is a series near and dear to my heart. Organized by Cord Moreski, it has the feel of the Annex shows hosted by Chris Rockwell some all too many years ago. There’s never a shortage of amazing features and poets on the open mic, and the atmosphere is as supportive as it is crafty. And I have the honor of reading with sucker-punch poet Jewlz Wit A Z and Rebecca Weber, who consistently amazes no matter the direction or focus of her poems. (Apologies to Donel and Mi, who I’ve yet to have the pleasure of hearing or reading.)

And since my creativity has been stuck in the unusual states of inspired and productive, I made a brochureside(tm) of one of my poems, “The Museum of Broken Promises,” to be sold solely at these two events. Each will be numbered for authenticity and feature said poem a la broadside fashion but in tri-fold museum brochure style. There’s a lot of fun and even a few Easter eggs in the backside babble, too!

These readings will be a great end to 2023, and there’s even more to come!

Going Mad!

Posted: August 28, 2023 in Events, Ink's Poetry
Tags: ink, Mad Poets Society, madpoetsfestival2023, poetry, poetry readings

Many do not know this, but early on in my adult life, I once (and only once) decided to move away from New Jersey so that I might afford living elsewhere alone. That somewhere ended up being Secane, PA. While living there, I happened upon Eileen D’Angelo’s Mad Poets Society. It was a home away from home as far as open mics and readings went; the community was as welcoming as it was talented. One of my poems ended up being published in one of the group’s anthologies, and I read at their annual festival some time back. While I moved back to New Jersey only a short time later, I maintained a great affinity for the group. So when I saw an email blast calling for readers, I decided to end my estrangement. Luckily, they were of a similar mind.

The Mad Poets Society Festival is a yearly affair that usually coincides with a street fair, which takes place in Media, PA and features all kinds of great foodstuffs. (Note: the street fair is scheduled for the October 8 this year.) While the latter would definitely be reason alone to attend the poetry festival, the 55 scheduled readers (including me) on the bill for the 36th iteration, which will take place rain or shine on October 1, 2023, more than justify the trek. It’s a short, one-day festival featuring five sets of 11 poets reading approximately five minutes of poetry each. If you’re looking to hear me, I’ll be in the third set, which kicks off at 2:00 pm (1400) in The Mansion Parlor at the Media Borough Hall (301 N. Jackson St.; Media, PA). I’ll have copies of my chapbooks and formal collections for sale, but mostly I hope to see you all there!